When The Clock Strikes Midnight
by finnicko-loves-anniec
Summary: When serving girl Annie sneaks into the masquerade ball, the last thing she expects is to be noticed by the prince. Finnick falls for the mysterious woman in green, and though he fights to stay with her, other forces are at work. In a world fraught with political intrigue and threatened by an evil sorcerer, nothing is certain for the two lovers. An Odesta fantasy AU.
1. When the Clock Strikes Midnight I

A/N: I've been wanting to write a fantasy Odesta AU for a while, so when this plot bunny popped into my head, it had to be written immediately. I suppose that's my roundabout way of saying that I will get back to Metamorphosis, but it might be a while. Anyway, the M rating is for future smut. I hope you enjoy the story! I would really appreciate reviews, as I want to improve my writing. It's hard to know what to change with no feedback!

Disclaimer: In my dreams I own the Hunger Games, but in real life the Hunger Games and anything related to it belongs to Suzanne Collins. Oh well.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"It's going to be a beautiful party," Annie remarked as she handed the next piece of silver to Katniss for polishing. The ball was to be held in a week's time, but preparations had been underway for several days now. Today, she and Katniss were to polish all of the household's silver, a massive undertaking for two women. They had split up the task, with Annie washing the silver in warm water before giving it to Katniss to be dried and polished, so the work was moving quickly, but it was still tedious.

"Don't sound so happy about this. We won't be going. It's just more work for us," grumbled Katniss. Annie's best friend was less than enthusiastic about the masquerade, but Annie was excited. Even if she could not attend, she could still admire the beautiful decorations being put in place, the elegant gowns the seamstresses were preparing, and the banquet the kitchen staff had just begun cooking. Unfortunately, as a lowly serving maid, she would not be attending, even as a servant. Only the most trusted servants who had served Queen Enobaria for the longest would be allowed to wait at the event.

"It's just a nice thing to daydream about, I suppose."

Katniss paused for a moment, glancing around the room as if to ensure they were alone before turning to Annie. "Why don't you go?" she asked quietly. Annie almost dropped the piece she was washing in surprise. Surely Katniss was not actually suggesting that she sneak into the party. Her friend certainly had a rebellious side, but an offence like that could easily get Annie thrown out or worse. When Queen Enobaria was particularly angry, heads tended to roll.

After a moment of shock, Annie was finally able to form words. "Are you joking?" she asked. "You know how particular the queen is about this ball. I like my head attached to my body, thank you very much."

"She wouldn't have to know," said Katniss, obviously forming a plan as she spoke. "We could ask for help from just a couple of people to make it work. We could get Primrose to make a dress for you. She could just charm whatever you were wearing into a ball gown easily, I'm sure."

At that, Annie had to stop her. "Katniss, your sister is a servant. Just because she works for the sorceress does not mean she can actually cast spells."

"She's seen Mags do harder magic thousands of times, and I'm pretty sure she's been practicing at night. She should be able to do a simple spell like that." Katniss paused for a moment, and when Annie offered no further argument, she continued. "Also, it wouldn't be hard to fool everyone into thinking that you belong there. Haymitch could drop you off at the gates in one of the carriages, so the guards would assume you were invited. They won't ask as long as you look upper class. It's a masquerade, half the fun is in not knowing exactly who you're dancing with. As long as you slipped away before the unmasking, no one would ever have to know you went."

It sounded so easy when Katniss put it like that. Only four people, including herself and Katniss, would need to know that Annie had gone. She could experience an entire world her low birth had prevented her from entering. Every moment, she was sure, could fuel daydreams for years. Before she fully understood what she was doing, she found herself nodding at Katniss, agreeing to this wonderful, crazy idea.

"I'll have to talk to Prim and Haymitch, of course, but I think they'll both be willing," said Katniss, happy that her friend was going along with her plan. "You'll have to tell me all about it, all right? I feel as though I have spent half my life preparing for this bloody ball. I might as well at least get to know what happens."

Just then, they heard footsteps as someone entered the room. Both women immediately quieted and focused down on the silver that had been ignored for the last several minutes. After a few moments, they looked up at each other and grinned. Neither could wait for next Tuesday.

The next day, Annie showed up to work on time as she always did. By her neat outward appearance no one could have guessed that she had been up half the night, too excited at the prospect of going to the ball to fall asleep. Katniss joined her a few minutes after they were due to start. She nodded subtly and winked at Annie, who barely managed to refrain from jumping up and down in excitement. Haymitch and Primrose had agreed to Katniss's plan. She, Annie Cresta, would be going to the queen's masquerade ball.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: So there's the first chapter! Updates should come pretty regularly, as I already have the next couple chapters planned out and time this weekend to write. Thanks for reading! If you could leave a review, I would really appreciate it!


	2. When the Clock Strikes Midnight II

The next week passed in a haze. Everything she had admired before seemed even more impressive now that she knew she would actually be attending the ball. More than once, Katniss jabbed her with an elbow to bring her back to reality after she had become lost to one of her daydreams. They whispered plans as they worked. The night of the ball, they would sneak up to the sorceress's chambers, where Katniss's sister Primrose had her quarters. Prim would charm Annie's dress into a beautiful ballgown. Then, Annie would go down the stairs and outside, next to the stables. There, Haymitch would pick her up to drop her off at the castle doors in a carriage just like the hundreds of other guests. In the crowd, no one would be able to tell that she did not belong. During the ball, she would slip away, going outside and back upstairs to her quarters. The charm on her gown would wear off, and life would be back to normal.

It all sounded so perfect, but Annie still had her doubts that their plan would work in practice. So much hinged on being able to sneak around the castle without being noticed. Katniss had no such concerns. She assured Annie that she was being overcautious, and nothing would go wrong. Soon, Annie believed her. There were no obvious flaws in the plan, and she could back out at any time.

"Are you sure that you don't want to go instead?" asked Annie one day as they scrubbed the floors of the ballroom. Katniss had put so much effort into their plan over the last few days. She really should be able to enjoy the party.

Her friend just smiled and shook her head. "No, you'll enjoy it more than I would." Katniss continued, "I've thought about both of us sneaking in, but I'm not sure that would work. One person in a crowd of hundreds can easily go unnoticed. It would be a lot harder with two, or even three if Prim wanted to go." Annie asked her a few more times, but Katniss's answer was always the same. She wanted Annie to go. Eventually, Annie stopped asking, knowing that her stubborn friend would not change her mind.

Finally, the last preparations before the ball were complete. Katniss and Annie raced up the stairs to the sorceress's chambers, barely bothering to be quiet. Mags was far too old and deaf to hear them, and even if she did, they could just say they were there to visit Primrose. It wouldn't even be a lie. Katniss knocked, and Prim opened the door almost immediately. They slipped inside her room. Primrose immediately began preparing for her charm. She handed Annie two smooth, green rocks.

"Here, hold these," she said. "They're supposed to funnel the magic, making me more powerful than I actually am."

Annie felt entirely out of her element, so she did exactly as Prim said and asked no questions. When Prim told her to close her eyes so that she could focus while she cast the spell, Annie did so immediately. She heard the pages of a book turning, and then some nonsense words, but she didn't feel any different. She longed to check, but Prim had told her to keep her eyes closed. Annie was not going to mess up the spell. Magic could be dangerous when it went wrong.

Prim swore. At that, Annie opened her eyes. She certainly hadn't expected that of Katniss's sweet younger sister. She looked down. Her dress was exactly the same as it had been just a few moments before. Prim couldn't perform the spell. Annie felt terrible, but she knew her friend had tried. She thanked Prim and started to leave. As she opened the door, she found herself face to face with the sorceress. Something in the older woman's face told her that she knew exactly what Prim had been trying to do.

Annie sputtered, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse. It didn't work. She couldn't think of a reason that three girls would be trying to transform a dress into a ballgown the night of the big party if not so that one of them could sneak in unnoticed.

Mags absolutely beamed at the three young women. "What a lovely game of dress up!" she exclaimed. "It's such a shame that the spell didn't work. Could I give it a quick try?" She motioned to Prim, who quickly passed her the stones. Annie put her hands out for the stones again, but Mags surprised her by slipping the rocks into the pockets of her dress instead. "You're a lovely girl. No reason to change anything about you. The dress is the only thing we're worried about now." With a gesture of the old woman's hand, Annie felt a gentle breeze brush past her. She was amazed when she looked down.

It was incredible to think that a few seconds ago she had been dressed in her every day wear. Now, her dark gray uniform had been replaced with an elegant green ball gown. The silk of the dress clung to her chest and waist to reveal her enviable figure and flared gently at her hips. Annie lifted up the hem of the dress slightly to look at her shoes. Instead of her usual rough leather shoes, delicate heels covered her feet. The way the slippers glinted in the light reminded Annie of glass. Annie stepped towards the window so that she could see herself in the reflection. The change was truly breathtaking. Mags had even thought of her hair. The ribbon she always wore to tie back her unruly curls had been transformed into an elegant emerald tiara, and her hair had been pulled back into a complex knot.

"Oh Annie, you're beautiful," said Prim. Katniss just nodded, amazed by what had just happened.

Annie blinked a few times, unable to fully process what had just occurred. Mags, the sorceress and one of the queen's most trusted advisors, was helping her sneak into a ball she was not supposed to attend. She ran forward a couple of steps to embrace the old woman. "Thank you, thank you so much!" she said, hoping that Mags could sense just how much her help meant to Annie.

"Don't thank me yet, child, you won't get far like that." With another gesture from Mags, a simple comb that had been lying on a table next to the bed changed into an ornate gold and green mask. Mags passed the beautiful mask to Annie. "Now I think you're ready."

"Oh, thank you. It's all so beautiful," Annie thanked Mags again. The woman stopped her.

"Remember, no magic lasts forever. All of this will disappear at midnight. Now, off with you," Mags shooed Annie away. After a quick glance and wave at Katniss and Prim, Annie turned to leave. The ball was well within her reach.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: Two chapters done! I promise that we'll finally get to meet Finnick in the next chapter. Thank you for reading. I really hope you're enjoying the story. Please post a review and tell me what you think so far!


	3. When the Clock Strikes Midnight III

A/N: Thanks to Odestalovebaby for the super nice reviews!

Annie was able to sneak out of the building without anyone seeing her. She hurried to the stables where Haymitch, the stablemaster, was waiting for her. "Got somewhere special to go tonight?" he asked her.

"Yes!" Annie said happily. Haymitch chuckled, then motioned to the coach.

"Well then, get on in!" He helped her climb into the back seat, then took his place in the front. Before Annie arrived, he had hitched the horses to the carriage, so they were ready to go. Riding from the stables to the entrance where guests were still arriving only took a couple of minutes. As soon as two servants opened the door and helped Annie out, she walked to the front of the carriage.

"Thank you so much, Haymitch. I really don't know how to say how much this means to me." Haymitch blushed a little bit, but his reply was gruff.

"Only did it because Katniss made me." Annie just smiled at him. "Be safe, all right?" Haymitch said as he started to move away. Annie watched the carriage for a moment before turning to the door. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside.

The ballroom was even lovelier than she had imagined it would be. The light from a thousand candles bounced off the chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, creating a rainbow of colors along the walls. On the dance floor, a hundred people in lavish costumes of every color waltzed to the music of the orchestra. Around the perimeter of the room, tables were set up with enough food to feed the kingdom. Annie paused for a moment to drink in the sight before stepping downstairs and onto the dance floor.

She realized suddenly that she had no idea what she should be doing. A serving girl, Annie had never learned to waltz, and she did not actually know anyone here, so making small talk was out of the question. She decided to sample some of the food while she formulated a plan for the evening, gathering a plateful of food and watching the dancers. One couple in particular caught her attention. A tall man with gorgeous bronze hair led his blond partner through the difficult steps, the woman laughing at some joke he had made. The man must have spotted her watching, because at the end of the song he kissed his partner's hand and strode over to where Annie stood.

"Hello," the man asked. "Have we met?" Annie shook her head, afraid to speak. This was dangerous. Nobody should be taking interest in her, especially not a handsome stranger. "Would you like to dance?" he asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

"I'm … not that good of a dancer," she replied. The man grinned.

"So you can talk! That's okay, I'll keep it simple." His smile was disarming, and Annie found herself taking his hand and being led onto the dance floor. He kept his promise, performing only the basic steps of the waltz. For the first few minutes, Annie watched their feet, trying to make sure she kept up with him. After she was confident that she understood the steps, she looked back up to find him watching her. "Where are you from?" he asked.

"Panem," she replied truthfully. "And you?"

"I'm from Panem as well." They continued their conversation as they danced, Annie quickly becoming comfortable with the man. All too soon, the song came to a close. Annie curtsied to him as she had seen the blond woman do, and when she rose, the stranger grabbed her hand. "Care for another dance?"

"Absolutely." They danced for hours, chatting the entire time. Annie learned that the stranger loved to fence, fish, and write poetry. She told him some amusing stories from when she was a child and about her family, steering the conversation away from anything that might reveal her status. Annie noticed that many young women had glared at her when her partner was not looking, but she paid them no mind. Her partner was young, attractive, and charming. Of course some of the other attendees would be jealous at the amount of time he was spending with her.

She glanced up at the clock. 11:49. It certainly hadn't felt like she'd been dancing for four hours, but it was time to go. At the end of the song, the man asked her again for a dance, but his time she had to decline.

"I have quite the headache," she stated, trying to come up with an excuse that would not offend him. "I think I am going to retire now."

Annie was almost certain that he knew she was lying about the headache from the look on his face, but he just smiled and bowed to her. "Before you go, can I know your name?" he asked.

"Annie," she answered before she thought better of it.

"May I call on you sometime, Annie?"

She stuttered at that. There was no way she could ever see him again. Annie wasn't sure what title he held, but no one here would call on a servant. "I would enjoy that, but I don't think my father would approve," she answered eventually.

"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you Annie. I hope we are able to see each other again." He escorted her across the ballroom to the staircase.

"Before I go, what is your name?" she asked. Annie knew she would never again talk to this man, but she wanted to attach a name to her daydreams.

"I'm Finnick. Have a nice night." She quickly wished him good night as well, then hurried up the stairs. She could feel that he was watching her leave, and prayed that the spell would last until she was out of view. Just as she slipped out of view of the guards stationed outside, the spell ended. Annie breathed a sigh of relief and sneaked back inside and up to her room.

Katniss had waited up for her. "How was it?" she asked excitedly.

Annie smiled. "Oh Katniss, he was wonderful."

"He?" Katniss winked.

"I meant the party," Annie tried to avoid that topic. It was too painful to think that she would never see Finnick again.

She quickly readied herself for bed, still thinking about her handsome dancing partner. Annie felt herself begin to drift off to sleep, but almost immediately opened her eyes again. _Finnick_, she thought. She knew that name. Finnick, Queen Enobaria's stepson. Finnick, prince and heir apparent to the kingdom. Annie wanted to cry. Her dreams of meeting him again had seemed pitiful before. Now they were entirely unrealistic. Prince Finnick, even if she managed to run into him in the castle, would be uninterested in her. She must do her best to avoid him and spare herself the heartbreak of rejection. Annie fell asleep with tears in her eyes, but in her dreams, she danced with her handsome prince again.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I'll try to have the next chapter up sometime soon. As usual, please review. I love to know what you guys think of the story! Thanks again for sticking with this through three chapters!


	4. When the Clock Strikes Midnight IV

A/N: Thank you so much to The Honey Crisp, Kat, and Odestalovebaby for their reviews!

Katniss wanted to know all about the ball the next day as they started to clean up after the party. Today, they had to wash all the silverware, a massive undertaking for two women. Annie dutifully answered all of her questions about the food, dresses, music, and dancing, but Katniss could tell something was wrong. Remembering Annie's slip of the tongue the night before, Katniss thought she could guess what was bothering her friend. "A boy?" she asked.

Annie nodded. She had not stopped thinking about Finnick all morning. It physically hurt to think that she would probably never see him again, and if she did, she would have to pretend they had never met before. "Tell me about him," said Katniss quietly.

Annie told her all about Finnick, how they had danced the evening away together. Katniss listened patiently, asking a clarifying question once in a while. Only after Annie was finished did she remark, "Sounds like true love to me."

That phrase seemed to suck the air from Annie's lungs. She had thought about friendship and even a stronger relationship, but had not even considered love yet. Was that what she felt for Finnick? She certainly cared about him, could it be something more? Annie quickly shunted that thought away. She had only known him for less than a day. You had to really know someone before you could be in love with them. Her feelings didn't matter. Nothing was ever going to happen between her and Finnick.

She had been content for years as a servant. Maybe not perfectly happy, but content. Her one night of luxury must have spoiled her. Annie promised herself she would be back to normal soon. She had wonderful friends, a good job, and some security in life. That was all she needed to be happy.

Annie realized she had been taking out her frustrations on the same piece of cutlery for several minutes. She put it down and replaced it with another piece. Back to life as normal, she thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finnick grunted as Peeta scored another hit on him. Usually, he beat Peeta when they fenced, but today he had lost every round. "Are you okay?" his friend asked.

"He's fine," interjected Johanna. "He's just all confused by that girl he met last night. Hasn't had anybody turn him down before." Finnick tried to glare at Johanna, but he couldn't be angry at her. Everything she said was true. Somehow, in the space of a few short hours, Annie had become an important part of his life. Even more suddenly, she had rejected him. Finnick didn't understand why. He was sure that she had been enjoying herself just as much as he had.

A greater mystery was who exactly Annie was. She had not stayed for the unmasking at the end of the evening, so Finnick had never seen her face. He had inquired with his stepmother Enobaria about the young woman, but she knew of no women of noble birth in Panem named Annie. He had also asked Cashmere. She did not know any Annies either, but had promised to ask around. Finnick thought it was unlikely that anyone knew here. If both Cashmere and Enobaria were unaware of a noble lady in Panem, she probably did not exist. Annie must be a false name. He tried to think of reasons why she would provide a false name, but the only possibilities he came up with made him feel sick. Annie could be a saboteur or a spy. He dismissed this, as a spy would try to push him for more information, and Annie had not wanted to see him again. More likely was that she was a married woman who saw the masquerade as a chance to slip away from her husband and have some fun without dirtying her family name. Finnick was more than happy to oblige usually, but given the emotional connection he had quickly developed with Annie, the thought of her being married to another man upset him greatly.

Peeta had picked up on his friend's mood and wanted to help. "Why don't you ask Mags about this Annie character?" he suggested. Since the death of Finnick's mother fifteen years ago, the sorceress had treated the young prince as her own son. She was more of a mother to him than Enobaria would ever be.

Finnick thanked Peeta for the idea and rushed to the sorceress's chambers. Mags would be willing to help him, and with her magic on his side, Annie could not stay hidden for long. He had just raised his hand to knock when the door swung open to reveal the wizened old woman.

"Finnick, love, do come in," she gestured to a cozy sitting area. Finnick sat down on one of the couches and waited for Mags to do the same. "What can I do for you today, my young prince?" she asked.

Finnick was unsure of what to say. If Annie wanted to stay hidden, he should not follow her. He thought back to the night before. Annie had definitely wanted to see him again, but something was stopping her. He had to be sure she was all right. "Last night, I met a girl at the ball," he started. "She was wonderful, and I want to see her again, but I don't know where to find her. I was wondering if you could help me." Mags smiled. She was so happy to see Finnick in love.

"Can you describe this young woman to me? I think I'll have a bit of a hard time finding her with only wonderful to go off of." Mags winked at him.

"She was very beautiful, with deep brown hair and green eyes. She was around average height for a woman, but slender. She introduced herself as Annie, but I don't think that it was her real name." Finnick sighed. He wished that she had stayed for the unmasking. He could not describe the woman who had captured his heart in any more detail because the mask had blocked her features.

"Was she wearing a green dress?" Mags asked. Finnick was startled. How could she have known what Annie had been wearing? He knew that Mags hated Enobaria's parties and had not attended last night.

"How did you know?" he asked after a moment.

"Pretty girls with green eyes should wear green dresses. Highlights their complexions." Finnick suspected that Mags knew more than she was telling him, but he knew better than to press the sorceress for more information. "I think I might know where to find your young lady Finnick. Let me examine some of the manuscripts, and I will have your answer as soon as possible."Finnick thanked the woman and excused himself.

After he shut the door, Mags sat at her desk for a long moment thinking. She should have seen this coming. Annie and Finnick would make such a lovely couple if she could find a way for them to be together. There had to be something that she could do for the pair. Annie's low birth should not stand in the way of true love. Mags opened one of her books, intent on finding a solution.

A/N: In case you couldn't tell, I love Mags. In my headcannon, she is the biggest Odesta shipper of them all. On a completely unrelated note, you guys are awesome! It's fantastic to see how many people have been reading this! Please, if you want to see something specific, or want to let me know about any spelling or grammar changes I should make, leave me a review or message me. I'm about the least threatening person I know, I am interested in constructive criticism, and I'd love to know what you guys think of the story. Thanks for reading!


	5. When the Clock Strikes Midnight V

A/N: Special thanks to Odestalovebaby, Kat, and for their wonderful reviews!

Two days after the ball, Annie received notice that she was to be transferred. Instead of a scullery maid, Annie was now a personal servant to the sorceress. She told herself that there was no reason to be afraid, but her new post made her nervous. Mags had been very kind to her by creating a dress for the ball, so Annie knew that she would be a forgiving master. However, it was common knowledge in the household that the sorceress was very close to the prince. How could Annie avoid Finnick if she spent all her time in Mags's chambers?

Annie would move in with Primrose tonight. She would no longer live and work with Katniss, or even see her friend except by chance. She packed her meager belongings and moved them before going to inquire what the sorceress would like her to do for the day. She knocked on the door to Mags's private chambers and was told to enter.

The small woman was sitting on a rocking chair in front of the fire where a cauldron of liquid boiled. She motioned for Annie to sit in the chair next to her, and Annie quickly obeyed. Mags did not seem to have any tasks for Annie to complete, so they sat and talked for most of the morning. Mags had studied magic since she was a young girl, and she told Annie about the many adventures she'd had in her youth as well as amusing stories about the current king's grandfather, who had first hired her as head sorceress.

Halfway through a story about a dragon in Elingdale that she had charmed into a thousand year slumber, Annie heard a knock on the door. She looked to Mags, who nodded, and then went to see who had called.

Finnick stood outside. Annie's heart stopped. She had known that encountering Finnick was a possibility that came with working for Mags, but she had not expected to see him so soon. Luckily, the prince did not seem to notice her distress. He smiled, and politely asked if Mags was in. Near the end of his sentence, Annie saw realization dawn on his face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finnick was shocked. He must truly be mad with love, because he now saw the woman in green everywhere he looked. The servant in front of him even reminded him of the beautiful woman from two days ago. His mind had to be playing tricks on him. Annie had been an upper class girl. Otherwise she would never have been invited to Enobaria's ball. He attempted to will his face into his usual charming grin, but Finnick knew he failed. "Have we met before?" he asked.

The serving girl shook her head too quickly, almost before he finished his question. She led him into Mags's sitting room. The old woman was sitting in the same spot as she had yesterday. Finnick was excited. That morning, he had received a message from the sorceress that said she had found some leads for him to follow in his search for Annie.

He did his best to ignore the serving girl, who hustled about making tea, but something about her drew him in. She was beautiful, not in the elegant, composed way of the woman at the ball, but in a more natural way. Her dark, curly hair was barely held back by a blue ribbon, and she had freckles along the ridge of her nose and cheeks from time spent in the sun without a hat. Mags's voice brought him back to their conversation.

"Have you ever thought, Finnick, that maybe this woman does not want to be found?" asked the old woman.

Finnick nodded in reply. "I've considered it, yes. I don't think that is what is wrong though. I think that she wants to see me again, but something was stopping her from saying so." Finnick looked directly at the sorceress before he finished. "If, when I find her, she wants me to let her be, I promise on my honor that I will do so. I worry about her. I want to be sure that Annie is safe, and that whatever prompted her to reject my advances is in no way harming her."

He heard a crash from the corner. Mags's servant had dropped the tea kettle, causing it to shatter. She looked up to apologize to Mags, and Finnick noticed her eyes for the first time. They were a startling shade of green, almost like … Finnick stilled. He and the servant, no not the servant, Annie, looked at each other for a long moment. He rose and walked a few steps to where she had started picking up the pieces of the kettle before crouching down in front of her.

Finnick gently placed a hand on her cheek, putting his thumb under her chin to direct her gaze towards him. "You are Annie from the ball, aren't you?" he asked quietly. The woman nodded. Finnick could see the tears in her eyes. "I haven't been able to get you out of my mind for the last two days. Who are you?"

"I'm Annie Cresta," the girl replied. "I've been a serving girl in the castle my entire life."

Finnick felt his heart fall at that. He had hoped that Mags had been playing some type of trick on him, dressing up his love in servant's clothing to see how long it would take him to notice her. No man of his station could marry a serving girl. Finnick was expected to marry a princess, or at the very least a noblewoman from within his own kingdom. In noble weddings, power and influence were important, not caring for one's spouse. He pushed that thought away.

"I think I love you," he said.

"I'm not sure, but I think I'm falling for you as well," Annie replied.

They heard the door squeak as Mags left the room, then looked back at each other. Both of their eyes were wide, and Annie's cheeks were scarlet with embarrassment. Finnick and Annie broke out in laughter. She threw her arms around his neck.

"I'm so happy right now. I hope this moment never ends, that I never have to think about how impossible this is," she said.

Finnick wrapped his arms around her as well, pressing their cheeks together. "We'll find a way Annie, I promise you."

Finnick and Annie stayed like that for long moments, neither one wanting to break the embrace. Eventually, Annie turned a bit and pressed her lips against Finnick's. Deep down, she knew that she loved this man. She sighed into the kiss, trying to memorize the feel of his lips against hers. As perfect as it was, this moment could not last forever. Both she and Finnick would do anything to stay together, but for them, a happy ending seemed impossible.

A/N: Five chapters done! You guys are incredible – I'm amazed by the numbers of views and the positive response so far. There are still several chapters left in this fic. My updates will be slower during the week, but I plan to keep publishing fairly regularly. Thanks for reading! As usual, reviews are appreciated.


	6. A Shift in the Winds I

A/N: Thanks to Odestalovebaby and The Honey Crisp for their reviews!

If Finnick had ever imagined the first night he would spend with the love of his life, he might have pictured them sitting and talking. He would not have thought that Mags would be sitting there with them, or that he and a serving girl would be brainstorming ways to run away together. But there they were, trying to find some solution so that they could be together.

Finnick's first suggestion was that he could give up his right to the throne. Annie and Mags had immediately said no. Finnick's father was elderly, and there was little chance that he and Queen Enobaria would have a child before he died. If Finnick gave up his claim to the crown, King Cadoc would have no heir. The resulting power vacuum could only end in civil war. Not even his happiness with Annie was worth such a terrible price.

All three of them were silent for a moment, contemplating the gravity of their situation. Annie was the one who broke the silence. "Is there no chance that Cadoc would consent to our marriage despite my low birth?" she asked.

Finnick shook his head. "My father leaves all decisions to Enobaria, who would never agree. I am fairly certain she will try to choose my wife when she thinks the time is right for me to be married. She will want someone she can control as my queen."

"Finnick, don't you think she believes she could control someone like me? After all, I have been working for her since I was a small child."

"You also sneaked into her ball despite knowing that being caught could cause you to lose your head. No, she will know that you are beyond her control," answered Finnick. "She is rather particular about class as well. Anything less than a duchess is unworthy of my time in her eyes." He saw a flicker of hurt pass over Annie's features. "That's not my view, love. I think you are worth more than all the gold in the treasury. But Enobaria is set in her ways."

Annie thought of another possibility before he could. "Mags, is there any way that you could make the queen think that I am noble like you did at the ball?"

Mags thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I could charm Enobaria into believing that for a while, child, but remember that no magic is permanent. Eventually, the queen would realize what we had done, could see that she had been made a fool of. You have seen what she does when she is angry."

"Also, royal weddings are negotiated by the queen's advisors. Mags would have to charm all of them into believing you were a princess. No illusion that complex could last for long," Finnick added.

Annie nodded in understanding, then looked down at her shoes and cleared her throat. She did not want to look Finnick in the eye for her next suggestion. "Maybe we don't need to get married," she said. "Maybe we could just be together." When she looked up, Finnick was staring at her, his eyes wide with shock.

"Are you suggesting that you become my mistress?" he asked eventually. Annie mumbled a yes, doing her best to keep staring him in the eyes.

"The arrangement makes sense," said Mags. "It would hardly be the first time that a king has kept a lover."

"No," said Finnick with an air of finality. "I must marry at some point in order to provide an heir to the kingdom. It would be unfair to both you and my future wife if I asked you to share me. I know I could never bear to share you with another man." He grasped Annie's hand. "I am not ashamed of my love for you. I want our love to be seen by our friends and family, not hidden like some dirty secret."

"That's what I want too, Finn," she said.

He smiled. "I get a pet name already?" Though Annie was only mildly amused by Finnick's joke, she could not seem to stop laughing. He joined her, both of them glad to find something to giggle about after their too-serious conversation of before.

Eventually, Annie realized that Mags was not laughing with them. Annie looked over to where Mags was sitting. The woman was incredibly still. Annie could not even see her breathing. Finnick had noticed as well, and was frantically trying to find the sorceress's pulse. He looked at Annie, terrified that the woman who had raised him was gone.

Mags gasped and her eyes flew open. She leaned back in her chair, clutching her chest. She looked confused and scared.

"Are you all right?" asked Annie, still afraid. "Can I get you anything?"

"Yes dear. Could you please fetch me some water?"

Annie rushed to get a glass of water. Finnick started to follow her, but Mags beckoned him back.

"Something terrible is coming," she said, holding his wrist tightly. He looked down at her, concerned. He had never seen Mags afraid before. This woman had fought off dragons. Whatever was worrying her had to be truly horrifying.

"Do you know what it is?" he asked quietly. Annie came back, passing Mags the water. The woman took it with shaky hands and took several long drinks before replying.

"I wish premonitions worked that way, boy. I know it is fueled by dark magic and will be upon us soon, but I know no more." Finnick nodded gravely. He looked to Annie, who looked determined.

"It'll be all right, Mags," she said. "You are a master sorceress, and I am sure you can stop whatever this is. I know I speak for both Finnick and myself when I say that we will help you in any way possible." Mags patted the young woman's cheek. She knew that destroying this evil would not be as simple as Annie believed, but she was grateful for her support. She spotted Finnick looking out the window, seemingly searching for any visual sign of what was to come.

Something was coming, that much was for certain. Until the evil chose to reveal itself, Mags could only wait.

A/N: As usual, any reviews are welcome. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reading!


	7. A Shift in the Winds II

A/N: Two chapters in one night, yeah! Also, to Odestalovebaby – thanks for your reviews!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry!" said Annie. She steadied the tea tray she was holding before spinning around quickly to see who she had accidentally bumped into. An older man stood in front of her. His perfectly groomed white hair and beard, as well as his long, thick burgundy robes, identified him as one of the many advisors that lived in the castle, but Annie had never seen him before.

"Nothing to worry about, my dear," the stranger replied. "I should have been more careful." He bowed slightly, then continued down the hallway. Annie was surprised. Most of the nobles would have been upset at the accident, which she knew was her fault. Annie shrugged off the incident and went to deliver the tea to Mags.

Later, Annie would discover that she had been one of the first people in the castle to meet Coriolanus Snow, Queen Enobaria's newest advisor. Gossip was rife among the servants about the man. It seemed that he was just as kind with the other servants as he had been to Annie. He had also managed to almost immediately insert himself into Enobaria's inner circle. According to the queen's personal servants, Enobaria had taken his advice in almost every regard since he came to Panem. Some were thrilled with Snow's presence. They saw his kindness towards the household staff and believed that he would show the same consideration towards the peasants, who had long been suffering under Enobaria's strict, unforgiving policies. Others were suspicious of the newcomer. Snow, they argued, was like all the other advisers, eager to advance his own agenda. The fact that nobody could tell what his purpose was only made him more dangerous.

Annie was cautious of Snow, but she was too happy to pay Enobaria's new favorite much attention. She and Finnick spent as much time as possible together. Every afternoon, they would meet for tea in Mags's chambers, sitting and talking for hours. The sorceress would sit with them, sometimes joining in their conversation, but mostly just watching the young lovers contentedly. Later, after Mags went to sleep, Finnick would sneak back. Without Mags as a chaperone, they could sit and cuddle, holding hands and stealing kisses. Annie suspected that Mags knew about their clandestine nighttime meetings, but the old woman never said anything about them. For the first time since her parents' death, Annie was truly happy. She and Finnick were no closer to finding a way to be together forever, but she didn't need a wedding immediately. Right now, all she wanted was to enjoy being in love.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Your majesty, might I have a moment?" Enobaria looked to see where the voice had come from. She was finished holding court for the day. Any concerns could wait until tomorrow. She found the source of the voice. To the left of her throne stood an older man clothed in the burgundy robes of her advisers. The queen glanced at the wall clock before responding. Just after four, plenty of time to change before going to dinner.

"You may," she answered. Normally, she would have snapped at the man for not speaking up during the scheduled time, but this advisor was new. She struggled to remember his name. Snow, she thought, the new junior foreign advisor.

"What I meant to say, my lady, is may I speak with you alone." He gestured at the guards and servants that always accompanied the queen. How dare this junior advisor try to send away her staff! "Of course," the man continued, "if you wish for your servants to know about Dalton, then they may of course stay."

At the mention of her former lover, Enobaria's blood froze. She felt the haughty expression she always wore slip away. "How do you know that name?" she asked.

"Send away your servants, and you and I can discuss this subject further." Enobaria shooed away her servants, inventing errands to send them on so that they would not be suspicious of her interactions with Snow.

Once her entire staff was gone, the queen turned back to Snow. "I repeat, how do you know that name?"

"How I know about Sir Robert Dalton is not our major concern at the moment. What should worry you is what you need provide in order for that name to remain between the two of us." The stranger moved a few steps closer to Enobaria.

"Why should I worry about you spreading a name? It is hardly scandalous for a young lady to have a suitor," Enobaria said, doing her best to keep the worry out of her voice.

"Yes, my dear. It is perfectly acceptable for a young lady to have a suitor. What is generally less accepted is arranging the suitor's death. We both know that you planned Dalton's apparent suicide after you found out he had proposed to another. We both also know that his fiancee's death was no more of an accident than Dalton's was a suicide." The man quieted, allowing his words to sink in.

"How dare you accuse me of such a heinous act!" exclaimed the queen.

"It is perfectly all right, your majesty. As long as you do as I say, I am certain that Dalton, and the other bodies you have left in your wake, can stay between the two of us. After all, what would Cadoc think?" Snow bowed and left, his footsteps ringing through the empty hall.

Enobaria managed to keep in her tears until the man was out of view. If the man knew about Dalton, what else did he know? Her path to the throne could not become known. Enobaria did not care about the opinions of the masses, but she did care about her family. She loved her husband dearly, but if he knew of her crimes, he would not love her in return. She composed herself, wiping the tears away with the sleeve of her gown. Cadoc could never know about Dalton or any of the others. She must do as Snow asked.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: If I'm doing my job correctly, you hopefully noticed the shift in tone in the last couple chapters. I want to develop some of the secondary characters a little bit more and add some magic / adventure / political intrigue. At its heart, When the Clock Strikes Midnight will remain an Odesta romance, but there will be some other elements added. Also, the name will likely change. I love the current title as a section name for the first few chapters, but I'm not sure what to call the story as a whole. Any suggestions? As always, thank you for reading, and please leave a review if you have the time.


	8. A Shift in the Winds III

A/N: Thanks to Odestalovebaby, The Honey Crisp, and bsmj for their reviews!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Johanna would never admit it, but she was worried about Finnick. It was obvious to her that the girl from the ball still captivated him. The dejection and hurt from the first couple days after the party were gone, and they had been replaced with a bubbly giddiness that upset Johanna almost as much. There was something wrong with this situation, she was sure. Finnick was definitely seeing this woman, but why had he not spoken to her about it? Before the woman in green, they had never kept secrets from each other. Since her arrival in Finnick's life, she and Finnick had barely spoken, her friend too busy with his new love to keep interest in Johanna.

Deep down, she suspected that Finnick was in trouble. This woman, Annie, could only mean scandal for the prince. None of the available noble ladies would want to hide that they had snagged Finnick's heart. Therefore, Annie must either be married or a commoner. Neither would be an acceptable choice for Finnick in the eyes of the queen, and both would tarnish Finnick's image, leaving him as a weak king when he came to the throne.

Johanna shook her head as if her movement would cause the thoughts to leave. She lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She needed to find something, anything, to do to distract her from her worries.

Eventually, she decided to visit the stables. Johanna wanted to see Mulberry, her horse since childhood. She checked the elderly horse's teeth, mane, and hooves, pleased to see that she had been well taken care of in the weeks since she had visited. Though she was content with the way Mulberry had been treated, the noises coming from the servants' quarters off the stables irritated her. The stable master should be on duty to ensure that his assistants focused on their work.

Deciding to give the stable boys a piece of her mind, Johanna stormed into the servants' quarters. As the door opened, two pairs of grey eyes shot up from their tankards of ale to see who had entered. Johanna recognized the stable master, Haymitch, and by their shared eye and hair color she supposed the girl next to him was his daughter. The third occupant of the room, a large, dark-skinned man who was missing part of one of his arms, was too intoxicated to notice her presence. Johanna assumed that he had been the source of the noise she had heard, as he was still singing an off-key rendition of a popular tavern song.

Johanna was slightly surprised to see that the stable master, and not his young assistants, was having a party during working hours, but knowing Haymitch's penchant for drink, she should not have been. Haymitch spoke first. "Hey, sweetheart, join us for a drink?" He swayed a little bit as he spoke.

Johanna accepted. Peeta painted in the afternoons and Finnick was visiting Annie, so she had nothing else to do this afternoon. Drinking with the servants seemed as good a way to waste her time as any. She sat down and the dark-skinned man handed her a tankard.

"Introductions are warranted, I suppose?" said the grey-eyed young woman.

Haymitch wiped the foam off his mouth. "Lady Johanna, this is Katniss Everdeen, one of the scullery maids. Over there's Chaff, one of the fellows who works with me in the stables. Katniss and Chaff, this is Lady Johanna, one of our illustrious nobles." Even when drunk Haymitch could manage to sound sarcastic. Johanna reached out to shake hands with Katniss. The girl was not actually Haymitch's daughter as she had immediately assumed. There must be another connection between the two.

As the ale flowed, their conversation became less formal. Johanna and Katniss drank considerably less than the two men, but they were still deep into their cups by the end of the evening. Johanna laughed, drank, and sang the night away, and was disappointed when she had to leave. As a lady of high social rank, her life was normally tightly controlled. She had not had so much fun in years.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finnick walked with a definite spring in his step as he neared his father's quarters. Twice a week, he and Cadoc dined together with only the minimum number of servants present. Finnick cherished these times to talk with his father outside the complex etiquette and formal atmosphere of the court. Here, alone with Cadoc, he could be himself.

They were mostly silent through the first two courses. Finnick tried to start a conversation, but all of his attempts fizzled away after only a couple minutes. He resigned himself to eating in silence. Cadoc had become quieter in recent years, the guilt of outliving two wives weighing heavily on him. It was unusual that his father would not speak during their meals together, but it was not the first time.

Only halfway through the third course did Cadoc break the silence. "My son, I have a very grave matter to discuss with you." Finnick looked up from his plate to meet his father's gaze. "It is about the sorceress. My wife believes that she may be unable to keep up with her duties."

Finnick was quick to defend the old woman. "I assure you, Father, Mags is as capable as ever. I know that she is quite advanced in years, but her mind is still sharp, and her magical abilities are still unrivaled by anyone in Panem."

"I know that you and Mags have long been close, and it pains my heart to separate you from her, but we must begin looking for a replacement. The sorceress came to court under my grandfather, and she was not a young woman even then. She is slowing with age, and I cannot leave the kingdom open to any threat just to avoid hurt feelings." Cadoc looked down at his hands. "She must go, Finnick. Now that Enobaria has spoken, Mags will not be welcome anymore."

Finnick could not hold back his anger. "You rule this kingdom, Father, not Enobaria. She only does so because you allow it. You cannot let an elderly woman who has been as family to us for generations be left in the cold because of a few suspicions!" He rose to his feet as he spoke and took a few steps toward his father.

Cadoc gave his son a stony stare. "Finnick, you are thinking with your heart, not your head. Mags has been close to us for many years, but Enobaria believes that she is no longer able to fend off any threats that we might face. I will not have my citizens die just so that my son will not have to part with an old woman." Cadoc's voice was firm. He would not be swayed from his position.

Finnick was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "Father, find a new head sorcerer, but let Mags stay. She has lived in this castle and been close to our family for too long for us to throw her out of the household. Search for her replacement, but let her stay in the palace, I beg you."

Cadoc nodded, glad that his son had accepted the need for a new head sorcerer. For the rest of the meal, he and Finnick kept up a steady stream of conversation. Too soon, it was time for Finnick to return to his chambers for the evening.

"Goodnight, Father. I shall see you soon," Finnick embraced him tightly as they said their goodbyes. As his son left, Cadoc could not help but notice that he was walking not towards his own chambers, but towards the sorceress's rooms.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: Thanks for reading! As always, feel free to message me about any questions or comments you might have. It would also be great if you could leave a quick review. Thanks again!


	9. A Shift in the Winds IV

A/N: Thank you to odestalovebaby and The Honey Crisp for their super-sweet reviews. It really means a lot to me – thanks!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mags had cried when she first learned that she was to be replaced. The little old woman had kept in her tears long enough for Enobaria to leave the room, but as soon as Enobaria's maid had shut the door behind her, Mags had begun sobbing. Annie comforted her, and eventually her tears stopped.

Primrose returned from picking healing herbs in the garden. "What happened?" she asked. Annie explained that Mags was no longer going to be head sorceress, and that Queen Enobaria was already searching for her replacement. Prim rushed to her mistress and wrapped her arms around the old woman. Mags stroked the girl's back lovingly. Annie could tell that the two were closer than most servants and their masters, and thinking that Primrose would be better able to console Mags than she could, Annie quietly left the room.

She sat on her small bed wondering what would become of her now. When Mags left the castle at the end of the week, Annie would be without a mistress. She would likely have to go back to being a scullery maid. Her afternoons with Finnick would disappear, and it would be harder to see him in the evenings. Annie mentally scolded herself. Here she was, worrying about herself, when a woman who had shown her nothing but kindness was being removed from her position even though she had done nothing wrong. She was angry at Enobaria for causing Mags such distress. Annie should bring this up with Finnick. Maybe he could convince Enobaria to let Mags stay. Sitting here was not going to help anything. She stood up and went to make some tea. Adhering to their usual daily schedule might bring some much-needed normalcy to this terrible day.

Coming back with a full tea tray, she spotted Finnick. He was also heading towards Mags's quarters, a serious expression on his face. He saw her as well, holding the door to Mags's receiving room open for her. Annie shook her head at him, and taking her hint, closed the door. "Have you heard the news?" Annie asked.

"Yes, I know that Mags is going to be replaced," he replied. "How is she?"

"Not well. She was upset when she learned that she would no longer be head sorceress, but she cried after learning that Enobaria wants her to leave the castle." Telling Finnick what had happened made today's news seem more real. Annie started to cry at the thought of life without the kind woman. Finnick eased the tea tray out of her hands, placing it gently on a nearby bench before wrapping her up in his arms. Annie buried her face in his chest, too emotional to worry that they would be seen.

"It will be all right, love. I talked to Cadoc last night. He would not allow Mags to stay on as head sorceress, but he agreed to let her continue to live in the castle. She won't be leaving," he stroked her hair gently until she stopped crying.

Annie wiped her face dry with her sleeve. "Thank you," she whispered. She squeezed him tightly before taking a step back. "Let's go tell Mags the good news, shall we?" Annie started towards the bench to fetch the tea tray, but Finnick grabbed her, pulling her back. Annie giggled and leaned up for a kiss, which Finnick happily returned.

Neither noticed the servant at the end of the hallway, who rushed to tell his master what he had seen.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Enobaria felt sick after she odered that Mags leave the castle. She had always liked the sorceress, and honestly believed that she was still capable of fulfilling her duties, but Snow had spoken. Unless she wanted the entire kingdom to know about her less than savory past, she had to do as the man said.

That week, Snow seemed pleased with her. He offered only limited counsel while she was holding court, and he did not bring up the subject of Robert Dalton. Enobaria was thankful for the short reprieve. Snow made her skin crawl, and she wanted to be near him as little as possible.

The day that she had informed Mags of her decision, Enobaria had announced to the court that she would be searching for a new head sorcerer. She invited her advisors to bring the strongest witches and wizards in Panem to the castle so that she might chose Mags's replacement. She had already met with several candidates for the post. Enobaria did not believe that any of them were as powerful or clever as Mags, and so she put off making her decision until she could meet more possibilities.

On the fourth day of her search, the decision was made for her. Snow asked for the floor, and when permission was granted, he introduced a new candidate. By looking at Plutarch Heavensbee, one would never suspect that he was a wizard. The man was of average height and slightly overweight. His greying hair was unkempt and his robes were threadbare. Nevertheless, he astounded Enobaria when, with a simple flick of his wrist, he silenced the exotic birds that Enobaria kept caged as decorations for her throne room. When she turned to see what had occurred, all of her birds had been transformed into stone statues, some frozen in midair. She turned back to Heavensbee, who smiled and with another gesture restored the birds back to their original state. Enobaria was impressed at the ease with which Heavensbee had performed his trick. He could do well as head sorcerer.

After the rest of the courtesans had left, Snow approached her. "I do hope, my lady, that you have made your decision," he said.

"I believe I have," Enobaria replied coldly. "Plutarch Heavensbee seems a wise choice as the next head sorcerer. Thank you for bringing him before me."

"I am glad to hear it." Snow paused for an instant before he continued. "But, I am disappointed to see that the old woman is still in the castle. Surely she will be leaving soon?"

Enobaria was slightly confused by his question. She was obviously going to release Mags from her duties once Plutarch was put in power, what more could the man expect? "Mags has been close to my husband's family for generations. It was decided that she will continue to live in the castle, but will no longer serve as head sorceress."

Snow was not content with this new development. "No," he said. "She must leave. Heavensbee will not be able to fully take over the role while she lives within these walls."

"I am sorry, but that cannot be arranged. I have offered the woman my hospitality. She is to be treated as an honored guest until she chooses to leave or passes away." Enobaria was determined to stand by her decision. There was no good reason that Mags should not be allowed to stay at the castle. "Perhaps, after Heavensbee has settled in, we can revisit this topic and he can add his input."

With that, she walked away. Snow could not overpower her will on this issue. She was unsure of Snow's designs for Panem, but she did not trust the man. His push for her to remove Mags only made her more suspicious. The sorceress was her best hope for retaining her power and protecting her people.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: Thanks for reading! If you have the time, it would be great if you could leave a quick review. I'm excited to know what people think of the story so far!


	10. A Shift in the Winds V

A/N: I'm still searching for a new name for this story. I think that When the Clock Strikes Midnight fits the mood of the first 5 chapters, but I don't think it really works for the rest of the fic. Does anybody have any suggestions? If so, please PM me or leave a review – I'm really not sure what this should be called!

Also, this is the chapter that earns the story an M rating for Odesta smut.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finnick sat next to Annie on the garden bench, nuzzling her neck. Over the last few weeks, he had made a habit of sneaking into Mags's quarters after the sun went down to see Annie again. Tonight, for the first time, they had dared to venture outside of the sorceress's chambers together. Finnick had convinced Annie to walk down to the garden with him. She didn't know it yet, but this bench was special to the Odair family. Seven generations had become engaged on this bench. Hopefully, tonight Finnick would make that eight.

Annie mumbled something unintelligible as he pulled away. He pressed a soft kiss to her ear then stood up. She looked confused as he knelt in front of her on one knee.

"Annie Cresta," he began. The words came out high and shaky. Finnick closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, he could see Annie looking at him worriedly. He smiled, looking straight into her eyes as he started over. "Annie Cresta, I love you. I want to be by your side and care for you every day for the rest of my life. Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

He had never been so nervous. Finnick knew that Annie loved him. Every time they said goodbye, they would kiss and remind the other of their love. But would she want to marry him, promise to be with him forever?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She had never been so happy. Her hand flew to her mouth, and a couple tears fell onto her face. Finnick looked worriedly at her. Not caring if her dress got dirty, Annie knelt down on the ground next to Finnick and crushed his face up to hers in a bruising kiss.

"I'll take that as a yes, then?" asked Finnick laughingly once they parted.

"Yes, yes, a million times yes," replied Annie. They hugged tightly for a long moment, both too happy to break the embrace.

"I don't know when we will actually be able to be married," whispered Finnick.

"I would be surprised if you did." Annie paused for a moment. "I am fine with this though. Being engaged is enough for right now."

"I want to tell Mags." Annie nodded.

"Let's tell her together tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Finnick looked at her questioningly.

Annie answered him with what she hoped was a seductive smirk. "Yes, tomorrow. Tonight, I think I would like to see a part of the castle I haven't been in before." Finnick still looked confused. Annie stood up and brushed the dirt off her dress before offering a hand to her new fiancée. Finnick allowed her to help him up.

"Where are we going?" Annie stayed silent, leading him along the garden path back to the palace. She could tell the exact moment when Finnick grasped her meaning. He squeezed her hand a little bit tighter and slowed his pace. "Are you sure that you want this?" he asked.

Annie nodded. "Very sure." She looked into his eyes so that he could see the certainty in her expression.

"It's just … I don't want you or anyone else to think that I only proposed for this. I want more than sex from you, Annie. I want to be there for all your future successes, and for you to be there for mine. I want –" Annie cut him off with a kiss.

"I know that, love." They were now standing just outside Finnick's quarters. He went inside first, telling his manservant that he would not need any help preparing for bed that evening. Annie followed him into his antechamber. Finnick then took her hand and guided her into his bedroom.

As soon as the door was closed, Annie pulled Finnick down for a passionate kiss. "Have you, errm, umm, have you, well, have you done this before?" he asked, undoing her hair ribbon to let her long dark hair flow freely down her back.

"Yes, but it's been a while. Please be gentle with me." Finnick nodded, leaning down to kiss her again. When they parted again, Annie tried to rid the somber atmosphere from the room. "You know," she said, "this is not going to work if you are still entirely dressed." Finnick grinned at her, and almost before Annie could register what was happening, he stripped off all of his clothes, leaving them in a messy pile on the floor. He was beautiful, all golden skin and defined muscle. Annie was allowed only a moment to admire her fiancée before he pulled her into his arms again. While they kissed, she traced the muscles of his arms and upper chest with her fingers.

Annie let out a little gasp of surprise when Finnick lifted her up off her feet. He carried her to the bed before gently, almost reverently placing her on top of it. He then climbed in himself, hovering above her with his weight rested on his forearms and knees.

At this moment, Annie realized how silly of an image they must make right now. She was still fully clothed in her slightly dirt-streaked serving girl's dress with her messy dark hair flowing free with an enormous nude man above her. Both of them were dwarfed by Finnick's ostentatiously large bed, covered in plump pillows in a variety of colors. Annie wasn't sure whether it was the mental image of them or her slight nervousness that made her start to giggle. Whatever the cause, she could not seem to stop laughing.

Finnick chuckled as well, and when both of them were done laughing, he sat back up. He hoisted her up to help her undress. Finnick undid the fastenings of her dress skillfully, pausing once in a while to run his hands over her newly exposed flesh. Annie raised her hips so that she could slip out of her dress entirely. Finnick reached for her breast, but jerked his hand back before he touched her. "Do you want this?" he looked at her, waiting for a reply.

Instead of answering, Annie guided Finnick's hand to her breast. "I love you," she said. "I want this." Satisfied with her reply, Finnick began to knead her breasts. Annie's moans were captured by a series of heated kisses. Finnick kissed her face and down her neck before taking a pink nipple into his mouth and beginning to suck.

Annie arched her back at the sensation and fisted her hands in his hair. She opened her legs, ready for him. Finnick surprised her by continuing his path down her body, pausing to nuzzle the curls between her legs before placing a soft kiss to her womanhood. Annie clasped her hand over her mouth to avoid crying out as Finnick gave her several long, loving licks down there. It would be terribly embarrassing if Finnick's manservant came to investigate shrieks coming from his master's bechamber.

Eventually, Finnick pulled back, situating himself at her entrance. "Ready?" he asked, determined that if she said no, he would stop.

"Ready." With Annie's permission, Finnick pushed in until he was deep inside of her. They kissed, wanting this to last. They set a slow pace at first, their rhythm picking up until they were pounding their hips into the others. Annie came first, and Finnick followed a moment later.

"I love you," Annie whispered, stroking his hair. Finnick groaned, not quite able to speak again yet. He rolled off of her, afraid that he was squishing her. He untucked the blankets from underneath them and maneuvered them both underneath the covers. Annie pressed herself against him, and Finnick responded by kissing her.

"I love you too," he said, his voice hoarse from their lovemaking.

"I am excited to tell Mags about our engagement," she said. He nodded, and with that they drifted off to sleep, cradled in the other's arms.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: That concludes the A Shift in the Winds section of the story! Thank you so much for reading. As always, feedback is both welcome and appreciated.


	11. Misdeeds and Misgivings I

A/N: Thanks to Odestalovebaby for her always super nice reviews!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The morning after her first visit with the stable master, Johanna woke up with a pounding headache. For several long minutes, she stared at the ceiling, willing the pain away, but as always, it did not work. She tried to climb out of bed, but slipped and fell on her bottom.

Her maid hurried into the room, worried by the crash and the sound of Johanna swearing that something was seriously wrong. "M'lady, are you quite all right?" she asked.

"Fucking brilliant, Molly. Can you get out now?" Even more than usual, Johanna was not in the mood to be pleasant this morning.

"Yes madam, in just a moment. May I ask where your left riding boot is? Gregor is here to polish them, and I can find its pair, but although I've searched for the left one, it doesn't seem to be anywhere."

Johanna groaned. In a drunken haze, she must have left her boot at the stables. "Don't worry about it now. I will find it later." With that, Molly gave a little curtsy and left. Johanna squeezed her eyes shut. Her conversation with Molly had not made her headache feel any better, and now her stomach was upset as well. She quickly checked under her bed on the off chance that her missing boot was underneath, then forced herself up.

One large glass of water later she was banging on the door to Haymitch's quarters. Her attitude would not suggest it, but Johanna was thoroughly embarrassed. She had drunk with the servants yesterday, acted as though they were her friends, which went against every lesson that had been drilled into her as a child. Haymitch, Chaff, and Katniss had been excellent company, far more fun than any of the nobles with the possible exception of Finnick. Surely that impression had been only a drunken mistake. She was a lady. As much fun as they had seemed when she was intoxicated, the servants were not suitable company to keep. Johanna hoped that seeing them in daylight, she would notice flaws that had not been obvious the night before.

Haymitch swung open the door, looking surprised to see her. "What do you want?" he asked, taking a swig from a brown bottle once he finished his sentence. Johanna gaped at him. What was he thinking? Haymitch had already been deep into his cup by the time Johanna had joined him last night, and had continued to drink throughout the evening. How was he already drinking again? "Well, is there a reason for your visit?" he prompted her gruffly after a moment.

Johanna composed herself before she answered. "I am looking for my riding boot. I believe I may have left it here last night. Have you seen it?" She peeked past him to see if she could spot it on the floor. Even if it were there, Johanna doubted she would have been able to find her boot. Haymitch's floor was covered in a mix of straw and half eaten food.

"I haven't seen it, ma'am. You could ask Katniss. I think you were wearing both when the two of you left." Haymitch took another drink. "I could show you where she is if that would help."

Johanna nodded, grateful for the man's assistance. Together, they walked into the east wing of the castle, where most of the servant's quarters were located. Johanna had not been in this part of the castle since she was a child. She and Finnick had played hide and seek here once when they were about five, but once their governesses had discovered where they had been, they had been forbidden from ever going in here again. It was not proper, the women had explained, for them to mix with the servants. When classes mixed, the natural balance of the world was upset.

Soon enough, Haymitch stopped in front of a plain door, motioning to Johanna that she should knock. She did, and after hearing a few muffled curses, the door swung open to reveal a very bedraggled Katniss. "Lady Johanna! Here, I have your boot. You kept trying to throw it as we walked home last night, so I took it to keep you from breaking anything." Katniss grabbed the shoe and handed it to Johanna, who thanked the servant. Katniss paused for a long moment. When she spoke again, it was in a shy tone. "Would you like to join us again sometime? Haymitch, Chaff, and I meet up nearly every Thursday." She looked at Haymitch, who nodded his permission for Johanna to join them.

It went against all her better instincts, but Johanna nodded yes. They parted, and Johanna started walking back to her chambers. She should not be socializing with the servants. This was a terrible idea. But then again, when had that ever stopped her?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Queen Alma of Elingdale had stopped being merely a nuisance to Enobaria. Now she was an actual problem, one that needed to be dealt with before it could do Panem any more harm. What made the woman think that she could seduce Panem's border regions into joining with her kingdom? Enobaria needed to retaliate quickly before she lost any more of her territory to the scheming Elingdale ruler.

She had tried for years to reason with the woman with little effect. Alma was determined to increase her power, and Enobaria was unable to dissuade her from preying on Panem in her search for more territory. Diplomacy was not an option. Snow was the only foreign advisor with any experience in Elingdale, and Enobaria did not trust him to keep her interests at heart in negotiations with Queen Alma. No, she must choose to either accept the loss of the outer territories or go to war.

Enobaria had never been one to give up without a fight. War seemed the only real option. As much as she wanted to avoid the suffering that a war would bring to Panem, she could not trust Alma to stop annexing her territory. If she wanted to maintain power, war was the only choice.

It was with a heavy heart that Enobaria went to speak with Cadoc. Her husband left the day-to-day business of ruling Panem to her, but she could not make such an important decision without his input. She found him dining with Finnick. She did not ask her stepson to leave; taking part in discussions like this would prepare him for the day that he took over the throne. "Cadoc," she started. "I believe we shall have to go to war with Elingdale." Cadoc almost choked in surprise. Enobaria waited until he had swallowed his food to continue. "Queen Alma has annexed three of the border territories. We have asked her to release them back to us, but she refuses, stating that the regions chose to join Elingdale. She cannot be allowed to continue."

Finnick and Cadoc both looked at her in shock. Cadoc was the first to recover. "My dear, you do understand the consequences this will have for the country?"

Enobaria nodded. She had spent a great amount of time considering the horrors her people would endure during the conflict. "Yes, my love. I do believe, though, that this is the best choice for Panem."

"I trust your judgment. Do what is needed." Cadoc nodded at her, and Enobaria left her husband and stepson. There were preparations that needed to be made. The armies should be assembled and ready to march on Elingdale as soon as possible.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finnick was stunned. He had always known that war with Elingdale was a possibility, but the hostility between the two kingdoms had been going on for so long that it just seemed a natural part of life. A war would cause so much suffering, especially in the poor border regions where famine was a constant threat.

Another thought came to his mind. How would this affect his and Annie's relationship? As crown prince, Finnick would be expected to lead the troops into battle. Depending on how long the war lasted, this could steal him away from Annie for months or even years.

Finnick shook away his thoughts, immediately feeling guilty that his relationship with Annie had seemed more important to him than the wellbeing of his people, even for an instant. He sat for a few moments before excusing himself from his meal with his father. He raced upstairs to Mags's quarters.

"Annie?" he knocked. "Annie, I need to talk with you." A blond girl of no more than twelve or thirteen answered the door. Finnick had met Mags's servant before, but at the moment he could not recall her name.

"Come right this way, sir. Annie's running an errand for Mags, but she should be back any minute." The servant, Primrose, he remembered, led him to Mags's sitting room. They waited together until Annie came back. Finnick immediately wrapped her up in his arms, not caring that the young girl was still in the room with them. Prim quickly excused herself.

"What's wrong, Finnick?" asked Annie as they pulled apart.

"I think I'm going to have to leave you for a while," said Finnick. "I love you, Annie, I love you so much. But I think there's going to be a war."

Annie paled. "It'll be all right," she said, trying to convince herself as much as Finnick. "We will be fine. Don't worry about me. Just focus on what your people need from you right now." Finnick could see the sadness in her features. She obviously understood that he would be torn from her to command the queen's army. He could tell that she found it as heartbreaking as he did that so soon after their engagement, their world was falling apart. He kissed her, grateful for her strength.

"I will come back to you, Annie. I promise." He looked into her eyes, reaching to brush away a single tear from her cheek.

"Of course you will. I will be sure to make lots of trouble while you are gone." Annie stood on her tiptoes so that she could kiss him. Finnick kissed her back desperately. She was right. Everything was going to be fine. It had to be, for both of their sakes.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: Thanks for reading! Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.


	12. Misdeeds and Misgivings II

A/N: Thanks to Odestalovebaby for the review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finnick stepped out of his last piece of armor, grateful to be rid of the heavy suit. In the week since Enobaria's announcement, he had spent at least five hours per day training. The rest of his time had been spent in strategy meetings with Cadoc, Enobaria, and Panem's top generals. These activities left him little time to spend with Annie. Since their engagement, Finnick had only managed to visit her twice. He would never neglect his duties, but he wished that he could spend more time with her. In three days, he would leave for Elingdale. After that, he had no idea when he would be able to see his love again.

He gave the armorer a nod of thanks as the man took his helmet to polish. Finnick then walked back to his quarters to take a bath, as the heavy armor and the warm weather combined to make him smell terrible after training. While he was soaking, Finnick decided that no matter how late the discussion went tonight, he would go to visit Annie. He had too little time left in Panem to let any opportunity to see her pass.

With the promise of seeing Annie, spending his entire evening in meetings seemed far more bearable. Finnick dried off and changed. He walked into the underground room where Enobaria had meetings such as this with a spring in his step. By the time he arrived, most of Enobaria's trusted inner circle of advisors was already there. Finnick nodded at a few of the ones he knew, then took his own seat near the head of the table.

Enobaria and Cadoc entered about five minutes after the scheduled time. His stepmother gave him a quick smile before calling the meeting to order. Finnick had discussed everything on the agenda tonight with Enobaria and his father this afternoon, so he spent most of the meeting watching the advisors. The presence of the junior foreign advisor surprised him. Snow had only entered the queen's service a few months prior. Surely he was not yet so indispensable that he had to attend these meetings? Finnick made a mental note to ask Enobaria about Snow tomorrow afternoon. Whatever the man had done to inspire so much trust from the queen must have been extraordinary. Eventually, Finnick noticed that Snow had realized the prince was watching him and had begun to stare back. Finnick quickly averted his eyes. When he looked back a few seconds later, Snow was still watching him, a small, cold smile on his face. The man made Finnick's skin crawl, and he was glad when the meeting was over so that he could escape Snow's presence.

He was also excited to see Annie. Finnick raced through the castle in a manner entirely unbefitting of a prince until he reached Mags's door. He had barely finished his first knock before the door opened and Annie jumped into his arms. She must have been waiting just inside Mags's quarters, hoping that he would visit tonight. Finnick held her close, happy just to stroke her hair and feel the warmth of her body pressed tightly against his. After a minute of embracing in the hallway, Annie stepped back. "Are you sure that all of Panem does not already know about us?" she asked as she led him inside the sorceress's chambers. "With the way you cannot keep your hands off me in the hallways, I would expect that the rumor mill would be filled with stories about your serving maid mistress."

"Excuse me, my lady, but I cannot keep my hands off of you? Who nearly knocked me backwards with their embrace a few moments ago?" replied Finnick. Understanding that her seemingly joking question held a serious concern, he continued, "I agree, though. We should be more careful. I want the entire kingdom to know about our love, but I would prefer to choose when to reveal our secret myself than have it come out before I am prepared."

Annie nodded, satisfied with his answer. She motioned to the sitting area, and Finnick picked her up and walked to one of the couches as she giggled. He sat down, placing her on his lap before telling her about his day. Annie listened, and when he was finished, she described what she had done in the three days since he had last seen her. She then rested her head on his shoulder, exhausted from the day's cleaning. Since Mags had learned she was to be replaced, the sorceress had spent nearly all her time with Primrose, leaving Annie to do all the work that she and Prim normally shared. It was tiring, but Annie knew that Mags needed the emotional support her longtime servant could provide right now.

When he heard her stifle her third yawn, Finnick decided that he had kept her awake long enough. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I will see you tomorrow, all right?" he whispered.

Annie started to nod, then shook her head. "No. I don't want to lose what little time I have left with you. Stay with me tonight."

"You share your sleeping chambers with Primrose, love. I doubt that she would want a strange man sleeping in her room," Finnick started to maneuver her off his lap.

"Then let us sleep here," said Annie. Finnick had no argument against that, so the two lovers curled up on Mags's small sofa. They fell asleep in each other's arms, both painfully aware that they would soon have to part.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Johanna looked across the table at Katniss, who was just finishing her second ale of the evening. Since she and Haymitch had extended the invitation of joining their Thursday drinking sessions two months ago, Johanna had become close to the other woman. She cleared her throat, uncomfortable with what she needed to say. "I am going to head out with the rest of the army in three days," she said as quickly as she possibly could.

Haymitch, Chaff, and Katniss looked up at her. "Didn't catch a word of that, sweetheart," slurred Haymitch after a moment. "Mind saying that again a little slower?"

Johanna took a deep breath and repeated herself. Haymitch and Chaff looked proud of her. "Good job," said Haymitch.

"I think we should drink to that," said Chaff. He raised his glass to Johanna. "To fighting the good fight."

"You think we should drink to everything," retorted Haymitch, but he took a swig as well.

Johanna looked over at Katniss, who had said nothing yet. She could see that the other woman was worried. She could not think of anything to reassure her friend that she would be all right, so Johanna focused on making small talk with Haymitch and Chaff for the next hour.

At ten thirty, Johanna stood up and excused herself. It was earlier than she would normally leave, but she wanted to talk to Katniss privately. She said goodbye to the men, and she and Katniss started to walk back to the castle together. Usually, the two of them joked back and forth and pushed each other on their way back. Tonight, they did not touch and stayed quiet as they made the trek.

Katniss was the first to break the silence. "Stay safe, all right?" she said quietly.

"I will do my best, of course," Johanna answered. "I cannot guarantee my safety, but I do want to come back in one piece."

"Of course you will." Katniss took Johanna's hand and they walked in companionable silence for a few long moments. When they reached the hallway where they usually parted, Johanna pulled Katniss into a tight hug.

"I will see you soon," Johanna promised. Katniss surprised her then by pressing their lips together.

"You had better," the serving girl replied. With another quick hug, Katniss left for her quarters. Johanna watched her leave, smiling. She did not know where her relationship with Katniss would lead, but she was excited to see what would come of it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: As usual, reviews are very much appreciated. Also, if anyone has any ideas for a new title, please shoot me a PM or something. I still haven't come up with a really good name for the fic. Anyway, thanks for reading! It's fantastic to see how many people are still interested after 11 chapters!


	13. Misdeeds and Misgivings III

"I might be old, fat, and drunk, but I would like to remind you that I am not stupid," said Haymitch, setting down his mug and staring at the woman seated across from him.

Katniss did not even bother to look up. "Never said you were," she replied between gulps of ale. Haymitch might be the closest thing she had to a father, but that did not mean she wanted to discuss her feelings with him.

Haymitch moved closer to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Go with her," he said quietly. Katniss looked up at him, surprised. "I told you sweetheart, I'm not stupid. I know who it is you have been mourning the last few days. Love isn't some disease that you get better from, Katniss. It's not going to go away if you ignore it."

"But what if she doesn't love me back?" she asked. Tears now ran freely down her face. Katniss tried to bury her face in her hands, but Haymitch tipped her head up, forcing her to look at his eyes.

"We both know you don't have to worry about that," he said. "You've seen the way that girl looks at you. I don't want you to live your life regretting not going after her." He was right. Somehow, Haymitch had known what Katniss needed before she had figured it out herself. Katniss pulled him into a tight hug. Haymitch relaxed into her embrace. "Sweetheart, I do still need to breathe."

She pulled back. "Thank you, Haymitch."

"You would have gotten there eventually," he said.

"So, do you think Enobaria's army is in need of an archer?" she said. Haymitch pretended to consider it for a moment. She punched him gently in the arm. "I am going to go and practice."

"Wait, what? You can't practice here. Enobaria will have your head if she finds out that you have a weapon."

"I'm not going to practice in the courtyard. I'll sneak out to practice then come back," Katniss reassured him.

"So you'll just get caught on your way back, Enobaria will assume you're a spy, and then you will be beheaded. Why didn't I think of such a brilliant idea earlier?"

She gave him a mocking salute. "Have a nice day, Haymitch." Katniss strode out, already planning how she was going to sneak out, practice, and be back in the castle before she was expected at work the next morning.

Haymitch tried to take a drink from his tankard only to find that it was empty. He groaned, then looked to Katniss's mug, which still had some ale left in it. He quickly downed the rest of her ale and wiped his face with his sleeve. Haymitch sighed. His quarters already felt empty. He was going to miss that girl.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hello, handsome," a voice purred as Finnick entered his bedchamber.

"M'lady," he bowed deeply at the waist, smiling. He was glad to see Annie. "Why are you here so early?" he asked. "Actually, how did you enter these chambers at all? They are supposed to be secure."

She shrugged. "Mags decided she did not need my assistance this afternoon. She knows you are leaving tomorrow, and I think she wanted us to be able to spend your last few hours here together. Breaking in to your quarters was not difficult. I told the guards that I was delivering something from the sorceress. I said that I had been given specific instructions to deliver it to you personally. It was a weak excuse, but I don't think the guard really cared. He probably figured that a lone serving maid could not be too much of a threat."

"Little does he know," joked Finnick. He flopped down onto the bed next to her. "So, what did you intend for our evening?"

"First things first, I think you should take a bath. I am having difficulty breathing because of your stench."

"I think that is just a natural female reaction to my charm," Finnick dragged her closer for a kiss. "But because my princess requests it, I will take a bath. Care to join me?"

Annie nodded, and they walked together in to Finnick's washroom. He had not requested that his manservant draw a bath for him, so the tub was empty. He turned to Annie. "Do you know how to fill the tub?"

She stared at him for a second before bursting into a fit of giggles. "You really don't know how to make a bath for yourself?" she asked.

Finnick thought for a moment before answering. "It has never been an issue before, I suppose."

"Do you know where the water comes from?"

"Of course I know that! It comes from the pump right there." He knew it was rude to point, but he went against everything the etiquette instructors taught him and pointed to the corner of the room.

"Let's get the bucket then, and fill up the tub. Then we can heat up the water, add soap, and have our bath," Annie walked him through each of the steps patiently, only laughing a little bit at her fiancee's incompetence. Finnick tried to glare at her, but he could not keep himself from smiling. It was somewhat ridiculous that the crown prince did not even know how to draw his own bath.

Finally, their bath was ready, and Finnick and Annie undressed and sank into the warm water. Finnick's enormous marble tub was more than large enough to fit the two of them. Both of them spent long minutes washing the other, trying to memorize every inch of their lover's body before their separation. Finnick pressed Annie against him, content just to hold her.

Eventually, the water grew cold, and Annie's teeth started to chatter. Finnick realized he had goosebumps all along his arms and decided it was definitely time for their bath to end. He helped Annie out of the tub, wrapping her in one of his towels to help her dry off. Finnick did not grab a towel for himself, instead lifting her up and carrying her to his bed.

After an hour of lovemaking, Finnick never wanted to leave. He wished that he could freeze this moment, stay here with Annie forever. He was about to fall into a contented sleep when his fiancee's voice woke him. "Finnick," Annie whispered, "promise me that you'll come back."

"I will do my best," he said.

"Don't try to be a hero, Finn. Just focus on coming back to me." Finnick nodded. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

"I am going to miss you," he said. "I do not know when you became so important to me, Annie, but I do not know how I will live without you for these next few months." He looked into her green eyes, hoping that she could understand how sincerely he said those words.

"After all, who will teach you to do simple, everyday tasks when I am not around?" she replied, clearly uncomfortable with the deeply emotional conversation.

Finnick laughed. "I love you, Annie Cresta."

"And I love you, Finnick Odair." Annie pinned him to the bed as she gave him a long, tender kiss. They stayed together that night, too tired even to dream of what the next day might bring.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: That concludes the Misdeeds & Misgivings section of the fic! I hope you've enjoyed the work so far – thank you so much for reading. Any feedback you have is welcome. I want to know how to improve my writing going forward, so constructive criticism is especially appreciated!


	14. Into the Flames I

A/N: Thanks to Odestalovebaby for reviewing!

* * *

Katniss's legs hurt. Actually, her entire body ached. They had marched for six days, and her commander thought it would probably be another three days before they even reached the border. This wasn't what she had pictured when she signed up for the army. Katniss had thought there would be more adventure, better food, and less rain, but everything was worth it to be near Johanna. That time in between when Johanna had announced she was leaving and when Katniss had joined had been some of the worst days of her life; only those days after her father's death when her mother had been lost to reality had been worse. She had barely slept at night, worrying that her friend would not come back from this campaign. Katniss knew that being nearby did not actually protect Johanna from harm, but at least she knew that her love was alive and well.

She heard the rustle of a small animal or bird in the trees. Katniss tried to track it visually, but she could not locate the source of the sound. Years of washing dishes and polishing silver must have dulled her hunting skills. Her inability to track the bird was unsettling for a different reason as well. Over the last couple days, she had begun to feel something was wrong with the forest they were trekking through. She could not place exactly what was off about this place, but she knew something was not right.

The young, blond commander walked up to her. She had made friends with several of the members of her unit since she had joined, and Commander Mellark was no exception. He smiled at her. "I think we will stop for the night now," he said. Katniss was relieved. After walking all day, food and sleep sounded heavenly. "Could you please go fetch some water?"

She nodded. Katniss had noticed the faint gurgling sounds of rushing water earlier that day, and she quickly found a stream about three hundred meters off the path they had been walking on earlier. Filling the bucket with enough water for her unit, she was reminded of a happier time. The idyllic surroundings brought back memories of going into the forest to hunt with her father as a child. She set her bucket on the bank and splashed some water on her face. She could stay here forever, just enjoying the soft colors of the sunset, the mockingjay songs from the trees.

Actually, now that she thought about it, Katniss had not heard any mockingjays, or any birds for that matter. In fact, the only sign she had sensed of any other living creatures in this forest had been the rustling noise this afternoon. She picked up her bucket and jogged back to camp. Peeta needed to know about this. There was definitely something wrong with this forest.

"We did not need the water quite that desperately Katniss," said Peeta as she sprinted into the clearing. He noticed the worried expression on her face. "What's wrong, Everdeen?"

"The forest," she gasped. "There's something wrong with the forest. Think about it. Have you seen any birds or animals the entire time we've been here?" Peeta thought for a moment before he shook his head.

"What do you think it means?"

"There's something in the forest with us. Either all the animals noticed it before we did and fled or it killed all of them. Really, it doesn't matter to us what happened to the animals. We just need to find this thing before it gets to us as well," Katniss explained.

Peeta nodded. "We need to tell the prince and generals about this," he said. They ran together through camp until they reached the fire that Finnick and the top generals had gathered around. Finnick looked up, happy to see his friend. Before he could greet his friend, Peeta spoke. "My subordinate has just brought to my attention the lack of animals in the forest. I believe, sire, that something is amiss here. We are in great danger by staying."

Finnick looked worried, but Brutus, the queen's favored general, shook his head. "There's nothing to worry about, boy. We were making a lot of noise as we marched. The birds and animals probably fled from the sound before we saw them."

"We should take Commander Mellark's concerns seriously," scolded an older female general. "Animals are more in tune with their surroundings than humans. If they are nowhere to be found, it suggests that there is a threat to our troops. I suggest that we send out a few squads to search the area for anything unusual. Even if they find nothing, at least we will be able to sleep peacefully knowing nothing will attack us during the night."

Katniss could see that the prince was listening carefully to the second general. "Thank you, Lyme," he said after she was finished. "Sending out the scouts seems like an excellent idea. Brutus, will you please gather your best soldiers? I want to embark as soon as possible." Brutus did not look happy that the prince had taken the other general's advice over his own, but he nodded and walked into the heart of camp to find the scouts. "Peeta," the prince continued, "please join the search party." Finnick turned to Katniss. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, soldier," he said. "I am much indebted."

"Thank you, sir," said Katniss. "May I please accompany the search party? I have spent much time in the woods." The prince nodded, and Katniss rushed back to her campsite to gather her bow and arrow before they left.

When she returned, Katniss was surprised to see the prince in armor, obviously preparing for battle. She gave it little mind, though, for the rest of the squad was assembled and it was time to explore the forest. Finnick accompanied them. She was glad that the prince was willing to accept the same danger as his troops. They searched for hours, but found little evidence of any creatures or other humans. It was decided that they should go back to camp and catch a few hours of sleep before it was time to march the next morning.

Katniss was grateful they had found nothing, but a part of her was still concerned. She idly chatted with Peeta as they headed back to camp. Suddenly, they heard a scream from camp. Katniss ran towards the sound, afraid of what she would see.

She stopped when she saw what was attacking the camp. An enormous winged dragon flew above the clearing, breathing fire onto the soldiers. Dozens of soldiers were running for the trees, fleeing the beast and flames. Katniss was relieved to spot Johanna dragging an injured woman into the trees. She tried to shoot an arrow at the dark blue dragon, but it bounced off the monster's thick scales. Katniss retreated back into the trees. She willed her heart to slow, but the image of the dragon attacking the camp was too vivid to allow her to calm down.

Eventually, she slumped down in the shade of an enormous fir tree. Now, she was glad for the constant rain while they were walking. At least the trees would not catch fire. She thought about what she had seen. A dragon had not threatened Panem in decades. Would anybody know how to defeat the beast?

* * *

A/N: Fourteen chapters in already! Thank you so much for reading. Please leave me a review – I would love to know what you think of the story!


	15. Into the Flames II

A/N: Special shout-out to The Honey Crisp and Odestalovebaby for reviewing. Thanks!

* * *

Annie awoke to the sound of screaming in the next room. She rushed into Mags's chambers to find the old woman thrashing under the sheets, crying out in terror. Annie lit a candle, hoping that the light would be enough to wake the woman, but the nightmare continued. She grabbed the sorceress's hand, stopping the woman from hurting herself. At the contact, Mags's eyes opened and she immediately sat up, fully awake but still breathing hard.

"Are you all right?" asked Annie. She was worried about her mistress, as she had not seen Mags like this in the months she'd worked in the sorceress's chambers.

"I am fine, dear, but I fear that the kingdom is in grave danger. Grab my robes. I must speak to the queen immediately." Annie rushed to do as the woman asked. She helped the sorceress into her robes.

"Do you need me to accompany you?" She was worried that Mags would have difficulty walking across the palace by herself in the dark.

She nodded. "Yes, please do come. I think that what I saw has consequences for you as well, though our queen doesn't know it yet." Annie quickly changed into her uniform and walked with Mags to the queen's chambers. The guards at the door looked curiously at Annie, but when they saw that she was assisting Mags, they immediately let them in.

Annie was amazed by the queen's receiving room. She had thought Finnick's chambers were grand, but these made the prince's rooms seem modest in comparison. Carpets so thick Annie was sure that one could sleep comfortably on them covered the floors. Artwork was arranged tastefully along the walls.

Her study of the room was cut short by the queen's entrance. Annie had heard stories about the woman from Finnick and the other servants, but she had never met Enobaria before. "Please, sit down," said the woman. Her voice suggested that it was an order, not a request. Annie did not look before she sat. She moved the pillow that she had sat on in her haste away before crossing her legs politely and looking at the queen.

Enobaria barely glanced at her. "I am sure that this is more than a social call?" she inquired of Mags.

The sorceress nodded. "I have just awoken from a vision that I believe will have terrible consequences for our armies in Elingdale."

"Is this really a matter appropriate for servant's ears?" the queen asked, looking at Annie.

"Annie Cresta has been with your family for years. Her fiancée is in the army invading Elingdale. I am certain she can be trusted," replied Mags. Annie fought the urge to smile. Everything Mags had said was true, but she was surprised the woman would reveal her engagement. "Trogdor has been awoken."

Enobaria's regal composure faltered. "How?" she gasped. "Trogdor was supposed to remain asleep for centuries. How can he be awake now?"

"I believe another sorcerer must have awoken him," replied Mags. "When I charmed him into slumber, it was intended to last a thousand years. Now, only ninety years later, he has returned. It would take powerful magic to wake the dragon."

Enobaria nodded, trying to determine what needed to be done. "Our first step must be to alert the soldiers of the danger," she said. "We cannot let them march on Elingdale knowing that Trogdor is somewhere in the land. You remember the devastation he caused last time he was set free."

Annie had heard the stories of Trogdor as a child. The enormous dragon had slaughtered entire villages, burning them afterwards until there was little sign that the area had ever been settled. He had set fire to croplands and fed on herds of livestock until the peasants starved. Panem and Elingdale had both nearly fallen due to the destruction he wreaked. Though many had tried to slay the beast, only Mags had managed to subdue Trogdor. By casting a spell that would cause him to sleep for a thousand years, a young Mags had earned the title of head sorceress. Now, Trogdor had returned, and Annie was nearly certain that the same strategy would not work again.

"Does this mean that there is a powerful sorcerer we are unaware of?" asked Annie. Enobaria looked at her, shocked that a serving girl would dare to speak in her presence. Mags only became even more somber at the suggestion.

"I am not certain, but that is what the current situation implies," answered Mags. She looked directly at Enobaria. "We must act quickly to alert our armies. If they are not already aware of Trogdor's presence, I fear that they will soon encounter him."

The queen nodded. "I shall send a messenger by horse immediately. I must also alert Heavensbee. I believe that together, the two of you will be able to find a solution to this new obstacle." With that, the queen excused them. Annie helped Mags back to her quarters.

"What do you think is going to happen?" she asked the old woman.

"I do not know, dear," said Mags. "I think we must prepare for anything. Go back to bed now, Annie. Plutarch will not be here for at least an hour or two. Both of us should get as much sleep as we can. I don't know when we will get another chance."

Annie went back to bed as Mags had suggested. She was far too worried to fall asleep. With Trogdor loose in Elingdale, Finnick and the rest of the army were in terrible danger. She stared at the ceiling worrying about her fiancée until she heard Mags call for her again. Plutarch had arrived. Perhaps, he and Mags could find a way to keep her love safe.

* * *

A/N: A bit of a short chapter, but I hope you like it! I should have another update very soon. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you'll leave a review.


	16. Into the Flames III

A/N: Thanks to Odestalovebaby for reviewing!

* * *

"What in hell is that thing?" yelled Johanna. Finnick shushed her. The last thing they needed right now was for the dragon to become aware of their presence; the creature had already done an enormous amount of damage to Enobaria's army. Finnick could not even begin to guess the number casualties the army had suffered. The soldiers had dashed for the trees, and no one knew who had been lost in the confusion. Finnick estimated that it would take about a day for commanders to gather their squads and report soldiers missing.

In addition to the loss of human life, much of the army's supplies had been destroyed in the attack. In their haste to escape the beast, few soldiers had thought to grab food, weapons, or any other nearby supplies. Finnick was unsure that they would be able to continue their journey until they replaced at least the basic necessities.

"What was that thing?" asked Johanna, this time in a much softer voice.

"A dragon. Mags used to tell me bedtime stories about them when I was little," Finnick replied. He wished he was home with Mags and Annie right now. He closed his eyes, imagining what they were doing right now. Around sunset, Mags usually drank her last cup of tea for the day. She would sit and watch the sunset out of her window. Maybe Annie would join her tonight, and the two of them would talk about their days. No, Mags and Annie spent their days together, they would already know what had happened to the other one. Instead, perhaps they would discuss plans for Annie's wedding. She would make such a beautiful bride …

Johanna's voice snapped him out of his daydream. "Well, did Mags ever mention how to kill a dragon?"

Finnick's nose scrunched as he thought. "I don't think so. Mags defeated one once, but I do not believe that she actually killed it. I think she put a spell on it that made it sleep instead."

"A lot of good that will do us. We don't exactly have any qualified sorcerers with us, and by the time Mags or the new head sorcerer gets here, we will all have been fried by a dragon. Fantastic." Johanna stomped off deeper into the forest, too frustrated to continue the conversation. Finnick saw that the dark-haired female soldier he had met earlier followed her. He was grateful to the woman. Maybe she could stop Johanna from doing anything rash.

He tried to recall everything Mags had ever told him about dragons. Finnick remembered her stories of Trogdor, an enormous blue dragon that had terrorized the border regions between Panem and Elingdale for years. Mags had said that Trogdor would eat entire herds of sheep for breakfast, but had only on rare occasions eaten humans. The survivors would often describe the dragon burning villages and fields to the ground, slowly starving the peasants before he would return to finish them off. Finnick wondered if that was what this dragon was intending to do. Was the dragon simply toying with them? Did it want to watch them suffer before swooping in for the kill?

Finnick stood up, which was more difficult than it should have been because of his heavy armor. He must send a messenger to alert Enobaria and Mags of the difficulties the army had encountered. Then he needed to talk to his generals to plan their next move. Finnick needed more information before he decided how they would proceed. He could not expose his troops to another devastating attack.

* * *

Johanna heard footsteps from behind her. She smiled slightly when she saw that Katniss had followed her. "You're an idiot, brainless," she said.

Katniss sat down next to her on the forest floor. "Why am I an idiot this time?"

"You signed up for this. No one in their right mind actually wants to join the army. The pay is bad, the food is worse, and people try to kill you on top of it. So, yes, definitely an idiot."

"I think that you are forgetting that you volunteered as well." Katniss rested her head on Johanna's shoulder. The gentle pressure felt wonderful. She wondered how she had lived so long without someone like Katniss to depend on.

"It's different for me," Johanna began. "I am a noblewoman. It is expected that I will either marry young and pop out a half dozen noble babies or I work as a commander in the army. For reasons that I am sure you understand as well as anybody, getting married was not an option, so I volunteered for this instead." She wrapped her arms around Katniss, hoping they could leave this conversation at that.

Of course, she did not. "I wish we could get married someday," whispered Katniss in her ear.

"Being a little presumptuous, aren't you? What makes you think I would want to marry you?" laughed Johanna.

Katniss gave her lover a gentle push. "Maybe just the fact that you are desperately in love with me?"

"At least you are right on that point, Katniss." Johanna's tone was suddenly serious. She gazed directly into Katniss's eyes so that the other woman could not doubt her sincerity. "I do love you, more than I know the words to express." Katniss's eyes welled up in tears at her confession. "Don't start crying on me!" said Johanna. "I don't know how to deal with tears!"

Katniss squeezed Johanna tighter, both of them rocking slightly in their embrace. "I love you too," she stated. Johanna pulled away after a moment only so that she could press their lips together for a kiss. When they separated again, Katniss laughed. "You are going to take back that comment about me being presumptuous, correct?"

"Absolutely not." Johanna leaned up for another kiss.

They kissed for several long minutes, neither one ever wanting this moment to end. It was far from a perfect situation. Their camp had been attacked by a dragon. They had few supplies and might very well starve in this forest. Together, though, nothing seemed as bad as it had before. With their love, they had found perfection even in the most trying of times.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! This story is so much fun to write – I hope you guys are enjoying reading it as much as I am writing it. As always, reviews are much appreciated. Thanks again for sticking with this through 16 chapters!


	17. Into the Flames IV

"Snow, please, stay for a moment." Enobaria said. The rest of her advisors filed out of the throne room until they were left alone. "I would like to discuss certain obstacles faced by our troops in the border regions." Snow did a remarkable job of staying emotionless. Enobaria was almost certain that it was an act. Since her discussion with Mags, she had suspected that Snow was behind the dragon's reappearance. The messenger from Finnick this morning had only confirmed that Trogdor was a serious threat to Panem. The man must know something about Trogdor; it was far too great of a coincidence that Snow would push to have Mags removed from the castle at the same time as the dragon she had charmed emerged.

"What obstacles have your armies met m'lady?" asked Snow.

Enobaria bristled. "I think you are well aware of them," she snapped. "Especially a certain dragon – I am sure you are aware of the name Trogdor."

Snow smiled coldly. "I have certainly heard the stories, my queen. I am terribly sorry to hear that this dragon has given your troops difficulty.

"Send it back to sleep," Enobaria ordered.

"That is entirely outside my power. I do hope you find a solution to these issues soon." With that, Snow bowed deeply and left, leaving Enobaria alone in her throne room with her thoughts. She sat down on her throne, resting her head in her hands. She had hoped that Snow was holding her troops hostage, that he would make some demand of her and when she complied he would have Plutarch Heavensbee charm the dragon back to sleep. Enobaria still believed that Snow had something to do with Trogdor's sudden awakening, but she was powerless to do anything about it.

A truly terrifying thought came to her. All of her strongest troops were at the mercy of the dragon. She had little protection in place in her capitol should Coin choose to attack. Enobaria had thought that if she struck first, the war could be quickly ended and Panem could return to normal. Now, that seemed unlikely. Coin almost certainly knew of the soldiers at her border. Should she choose to bypass Enobaria's troops and strike the other regions of Panem, there was little Enobaria could do to stop it. She must order her troops to retreat and make peace with Coin. As much as it pained her to part with Panem's border regions, she could not risk losing her throne and hundreds of civilian lives.

Then there was the problem with Snow. As long as she remained in power, Enobaria had to do as he asked. Otherwise, word of her past misdeeds would spread through the court, and she would be forced to step down in disgrace. She could abdicate, but that route had its own challenges. Cadoc was too old to rule. Although he had once been a fantastic ruler, her husband no longer had the mental faculties necessary to rule Panem. No, the kingdom needed a strong, able ruler in this time of war. In addition to her husband's frailty, nobody would believe that she had truly relinquished power. Cadoc allowed here to rule in his stead now, so why would that change if he were put back into power? Her stepson Finnick was the only other choice. At twenty-one, Finnick would not be the youngest king to rule Panem, but Enobaria believed that the boy lacked the experience to lead the nation. He had shown himself to be wise and capable for someone his age, but he was too independent for her tastes. Enobaria knew she would lose all power when Finnick came to the throne. Finnick would not allow her to rule in his place as Cadoc had, and he was more likely to go to Mags for counsel than his stepmother. That was not acceptable. Enobaria had not worked so hard to gain power in order to give it away to a man who was little more than a child in her eyes.

Perhaps Finnick could be convinced to accept guidance from someone else, someone that Enobaria could control. Her stepson was an intelligent young man, he had to understand that he was not yet truly ready to rule. If Enobaria could arrange a marriage for him to a woman a bit older and more experienced, Finnick would not refuse. She thought for long moments, trying to identify which women in court met all of her criteria. The list was depressingly short. Enobaria could only think of one who would be perfect for the role, but then again Finnick only needed one wife.

Cashmere Calderon would do well as queen. At twenty-five, she was four years older than Finnick, enough to be seen as more worldly, but not so much that Finnick would reject her on account of her age. Enobaria knew that the woman had excelled in her studies. Intelligence was an essential characteristic of a good queen. The Calderon family had long been close allies of Enobaria, so the girl would likely be willing to accept the former queen's counsel on matters of importance. With Cashmere whispering in Finnick's ear, Enobaria would still be able to rule Panem in practice if not in name.

Cashmere would certainly be willing. Finnick was attractive, intelligent, and kind, based on his personal attributes alone he should have no difficulty finding a wife. With the added benefit of becoming the queen upon marrying him, no woman in her right mind would decline a proposal from her stepson.

Convincing Finnick would be more difficult. Ever since he was a child, the boy had been resistant to Enobaria's suggestions. At least initially, he would be hesitant to accept her advice on whom to marry. Eventually, Enobaria was sure that her stepson would see reason. He was not yet fully prepared to take the throne, and would need an older, wiser, more experienced woman at his side if he wished to be a successful ruler. Enobaria might be able to arrange for Finnick to fall for the girl. He was already friends with both Cashmere and her brother Gloss, so the two must have some emotional compatibility. Surely Finnick could see Cashmere's beauty. He must be entranced by the girl, but to Enobaria's best knowledge, he had never made any sort of advance towards Cashmere, most likely out of a misplaced fear of spoiling their existing friendship.

Yes, Enobaria mused, Finnick could be convinced to marry Duchess Cashmere. She must send word for the army to retreat back to the palace. Satisfied with her plan, she reached for the bell she kept next to her throne to alert her servants that she required their assistance. Only once Finnick had returned could she put her plan into action.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you'll leave a review - constructive criticism is especially helpful. I want to improve my writing, and it is difficult to know what to work on without feedback. Thanks again!


	18. Heart and Home I

Finnick was relieved when the messenger arrived giving them permission to retreat, especially since he had already given the order. It had taken almost forty eight hours to determine exactly how many soldiers had been killed or wounded in the dragon's attack. Finnick had lost one hundred and thirty of the original six hundred soldiers. Another one hundred and sixty five were too badly used to be of any use in a battle. There was simply no way that Finnick could invade Elingdale with such a diminished fighting force, so he had ordered the army to march back to the capitol. He had been nervous about reporting to Enobaria that he had turned back before even reaching the border, so he had been ecstatic to intercept the queen's messenger on their way.

He was excited to see Annie again. Finnick had not expected to miss her so much. They had only been apart for thirteen days, but it felt like an eternity since he had seen his love. He had dreamt about her every night, and even during his waking hours she was never far from his mind.

"Stop looking so happy Odair, you just led the least successful invasion attempt in history," Johanna teased.

Finnick smiled sheepishly. "Just glad to be going home, I suppose," he tried to explain his good mood. Johanna did not accept his excuses.

"So when are you going to tell me about this girl?" she asked. Finnick sputtered for a moment. He had no idea how to answer that question. How did Johanna know that he was in love anyway? He had been so careful not to let any word slip of his relationship with Annie. "Finnick, it's fine if you don't want to tell me anything," said Johanna in a softer tone than he had ever heard out of the woman. "Just know that if you ever need somebody to talk to about it, I am always here for you." He nodded, unsure of how to respond.

They reached the top of the hill and were rewarded with their first glimpse of the castle. Finnick was impatient for this journey to be over so that he could be with Annie again. He and Johanna joked back and forth the rest of the way to the castle. Once they were inside the gates, Finnick ran into the castle, not caring if his behavior was not befitting of the prince. He needed to see Annie, and nothing else mattered right now.

He sprinted to Mags's quarters, throwing open the door without knocking. Mags, Annie, and Prim were having tea in the receiving room. Annie stood up, and wrapped her arms around him when he rushed to her. Enfolded in her arms, Finnick knew that he was truly home again.

* * *

Annie clutched Finnick tightly. The last two weeks had been trying. Especially since she had learned of Trogdor's reawakening, she had spent every idle moment worrying about Finnick. Now that they were back together, Annie never wanted to separate from him again. She leaned up on her tiptoes for a kiss, and Finnick responded by dropping his head a few inches so their lips could meet.

"Isn't young love a beautiful thing, Primrose?" Annie blushed and broke the kiss at the sound of Mags's voice. She looked over to see the old woman still sitting down, watching them with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Finnick walked over to the sorceress, keeping hold of Annie's hand as he did so. He sat down next to Mags, and Annie sat next to him on the couch. Mags held out her arms, and Finnick finally let go of Annie's hand to hug the woman. "Are you well, child?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Finnick replied. Watching him interact with the older woman, Annie fell more in love with her fiancée. His gentleness towards Mags showed the love and respect he felt for the aging sorceress. She could not have asked for a more kind and caring lover than Finnick.

"Well, boy, then there is no time to lose." Annie's eyes widened in surprise. Surely there was not another pressing threat to the kingdom? Finnick had encountered a dragon only a week before. Panem did not need any more excitement for a while. Mags laughed at her reaction. "No dear, nothing like that. You two are young and in love. You should be making the most of every moment you have together, not keeping boring old people like me company."

Both Finnick and Annie protested that statement. Mags was the least boring woman they could think of, Annie argued. The sorceress quieted them with a wave of her hand. "Very well," she said, "I am not a boring old lady, but my main point still stands. The two of you ought to be out doing something together."

"I suppose I cannot argue with that," agreed Annie.

"Especially when it means you get to spend time with me. Lucky girl," said Finnick. Annie swatted him on the arm. He merely smiled and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

They quickly said their goodbyes to Mags and Prim and left the sorceress's chambers hand in hand. "So, where were you thinking we should go?" asked Annie.

"I thought we might take a stroll around the gardens," replied Finnick. "The roses are lovely this time of year."

"No," said Annie. Finnick looked down at her. "We are going to go to your bedroom first."

"I suppose that would be acceptable." Finnick winked. He led her through a remote part of the castle she had never been into before. Finnick caught her questioning glance. "This is a shortcut. The servants aren't allowed to use these halls except in the case of an emergency, so we're not likely to be caught." Sure enough, they arrived at the entrance to Finnick's quarters without seeing another soul. Finnick went inside first, checking that his manservant and any other household staff were absent. He gestured for Annie to join him.

Annie followed him into his bedroom, shutting the door behind her. "Strip, now," she ordered. Finnick raised an eyebrow at her suddenly commanding tone, but did as she said. He divested himself of all his clothing, folding the garments and placing them in a neat pile at the foot of the bed. When he was done, he stood tall waiting for his next order.

She took a deep breath, pausing to admire her husband's beauty. She always found herself mesmerized by his golden skin, bronze hair, and green eyes, but in his current state, Annie could fully appreciate her fiancee's strong chest, arms, and legs. Annie paced around him in a circle, examining her lover's body. She was relieved to see that he had sustained no serious wounds. A few bruises and small cuts dotted his arms, but otherwise he was fine. "I am glad you're all right," Annie said after a moment, stepping into his arms and pushing him down for a kiss.

"So am I," said Finnick laughingly. He began to play with her hair, trying to undo the ribbon so that her long hair would be allowed to flow freely. Annie stepped away just as he found it.

"Lay down," she whispered. Finnick complied, laying on his back on his large bed. Annie climbed on top of him still fully clothed. "I love you," she murmured as she kissed his chest and neck. She worked her way down his body, kissing every inch of flesh she came across. When she reached his erection, Annie looked up into Finnick's eyes before taking the tip into her mouth. Her lover's eyes widened in pleasure. She sucked for a few minutes, taking more and more into her mouth. The sensations were new and unfamiliar but pleasant. Soon Annie felt Finnick's hands fisting in her hair, drawing her back up to his mouth.

"I didn't think I could last much longer," Finnick explained. He started to undo the fastenings on her dress. Annie shooed his hands away, quickly removing her uniform. Finnick began to roll her onto her back, but Annie stopped him, placing her hands on his shoulders to stop his motion.

"I want it like this," she said. Finnick nodded, and she guided him to her entrance before sinking down on his member. Her eyes closed at the wonderful feeling of being filled. They set a quick rhythm, both desperate for the other. Finnick came first, shouting her name as he finished. He continued thrusting, and Annie soon followed him into orgasm.

They lay together for several minutes trying to catch their breaths. "Finnick?" He tightened his arms around her in reply. "Don't leave me like that again."

"I wish I could promise you that Annie, really, I wish I could," he said. "But if Panem needs me to leave, I will."

She sighed. Finnick's responsibility and sense of duty were two of the things she loved most about him, but she was afraid that his need to take care of his people would kill him someday. "Then at least stay with me as long as you can."

"Of course, my lady," Finnick said, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Anything for you."

* * *

A/N: A reviewer pointed out that Finnick and Annie hadn't interacted in a while, so I felt that lots of lovey-dovey togetherness and a lemon were in order. Anyway, thanks for reading! It's fantastic to see how many people have stuck with this story through 15+ chapters! Special thanks to Odestalovebaby and anonymous for reviewing; I love knowing what you guys think of the story. See you again soon! ~finnicko-loves-anniec


	19. Heart and Home II

Enobaria nodded to him in greeting as he strolled into his father's parlor. Finnick could see Cadoc waiting in the chair next to her. Finnick walked toward his father and stepmother and embraced them before sitting down on an armchair that Enobaria motioned to. He had received summons to visit his parents that morning. Originally, he had assumed that they wished to debrief him in person, but the atmosphere in the room suggested a very different discussion was to take place.

"Finnick, your father and I have been thinking recently that it may be time for you to take the throne," began Enobaria. Finnick did not know how to respond. As the crown prince since birth, he had of course been aware that this day would come and had been preparing to take the role since he was a small child. However, he had always thought that he would be older, wiser, somehow more mature and ready to accept the responsibility of ruling a kingdom.

"May I ask what prompts this remark?" asked Finnick. Cadoc was elderly, but as far as Finnick knew, he was still in good health. There seemed to be no logical reason why he would abdicate now, especially in the middle of a crisis.

To Finnick's surprise, it was Cadoc who responded. "We have decided that younger, more active leadership is needed during the war. You provide a hopeful, youthful image that no man my age could. Also, we believe that it is best for you to begin to rule while both of us are alive so that you can have our guidance if you ever require it."

Finnick nodded, the lump in his throat stopping him from speaking. Enobaria continued, "of course, you will need an acceptable queen…"

At that, Finnick found his voice again. "I have one picked out," he said without thinking. Enobaria and Cadoc glanced at each other in surprise.

"Who is this girl?" asked his father.

Finnick took a deep breath, readying himself for his parents' anger when he revealed the woman's identity. "Annie Cresta. She is one of Mags's serving maids." Their reactions were nearly instantaneous. Cadoc's eyebrows shot up, and Enobaria gasped in horror, her hand flying up to her mouth.

The queen quickly recovered from her shock. "That joke is not funny, Finnick. Now, tell us who this girl really is. Which of the noble girls are you seeing?" she demanded.

"That was not a joke. Annie is the love of my life. She is the smartest, kindest, funniest, most beautiful woman that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I want to spend the rest of my life with her." His father looked somewhat sympathetic, but Enobaria was not willing to give in.

"Finnick, you are young and think you are in love, but I promise you that you do not yet know what love is. I want you to be happy, not to throw your life away on some common girl. You deserve better." Finnick felt a surge of anger. Enobaria might care for his father, but he sincerely doubted that she and Cadoc were actually in love. How did she think she was qualified to lecture him in matters of the heart?

"I agree," said Cadoc. "This Annie girl sounds wonderful, Finnick, but she is not an acceptable choice as queen. I suggest you find someone else, someone more suitable for a man of your station." Finnick wanted to fight back, to tell his father that Annie was as worthy of the title of queen as any other woman in Panem, but he knew that arguing with his father would be counterproductive. Cadoc had grown stubborn with age, and any argument from Finnick would only strengthen Cadoc's belief in his own position. He would have to wait for another day to discuss this with his father.

Finnick stood up. "Thank you for this honor, father. I do hope that I will serve Panem well." He bowed to both the king and queen and left the room. Instead of going back to his own rooms, he headed for the sorceress's chambers. He had to inform Annie of what just happened. She needed to know that his parents were now aware of their relationship. Cadoc would not bother Annie, but Finnick would not put it past Enobaria to remove the servant permanently from Finnick's life.

* * *

Annie heard the knock on the door and went to answer it. Finnick stood in the hallway. "Do com in!" Annie said, practically dragging her fiancée into the room. Finnick looked terribly serious, so her mind immediately jumped to the worst possible scenario. "Oh no, you aren't going back out to the front lines, are you? You just came back and there's a dragon out there!" She hugged him close, not wanting to lose him again.

"No, I will not be leaving you, Annie. I do have other news, though. Care to sit down?" They walked together over to the couches. Mags hobbled into the room to see who had knocked. When she saw that Finnick and Annie were talking, she turned to leave, but Finnick shook his head. "I think you should also hear this," he told the sorceress. Mags settled into her armchair. "Cadoc plans on abdicating to place me on the throne," he said after both Mags and Annie were comfortable seated.

"So you won't be going back to the war?" asked Annie, cautious not to get her hopes up to soon. Mags said nothing, and when Annie glanced over at the sorceress, she did not seem surprised.

"I'm not sure, actually," replied Finnick. "I don't know when exactly I would be taking over. Enobaria could ask me to lead another attack before the coronation." He turned to Mags. "You expected this, didn't you? That's why you're not surprised."

The old woman nodded. "I have been sensing that a change was coming for quite some time, and this seemed a likely possibility. This is not the main reason for your visit, though, is it?"

Finnick shook his head and turned back to Annie. "I told my parents about us."

Annie felt short of breath. What would happen to them now? King Cadoc and Queen Enobaria would never approve of a simple serving girl like herself for their son. "What did they say?" she croaked. She could see the tears in Finnick's eyes. His parents' response must have been terrible.

"They suggested that I reconsider and find a more suitable bride," he said. "Enobaria was especially displeased."

"It's all right, Finnick," Annie murmured, scooting towards Finnick to embrace him. "We always knew that would probably be their reaction."

"I'm afraid, Annie. Enobaria may come after you if she thinks that we are still involved with each other. I don't want you to get hurt." Finnick buried his head in her shoulder, and Annie comfortingly stroked his hair.

"Shhh," she whispered to him. More loudly, she said, "I'll be fine. I spend all my time either with Mags or with you. Between the two of you, I doubt Enobaria could do anything if she tried." Those words seemed comforting to Finnick, and he looked to Mags for confirmation. The old woman nodded. "I'll be careful, Finnick. Trust me, everything will be fine." Annie could tell that Finnick did not fully believe her, but he nodded anyway. "Now, I think it's time for tea. Would you fancy a cup?"

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you'll leave a review, I love knowing what readers think of my stories! Until next time,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	20. Heart and Home III

Finnick was quickly coming to dread his meetings with Enobaria. Nearly every day since his parents had brought up the subject of his taking the throne, Enobaria had summoned him to discuss the coronation. The prince could hardly care less who was seated next to whom or what would be served during the feasts afterward. He did mind Enobaria's constant praise of Cashmere Calderon. It had started subtly, but when Finnick had not immediately rushed to court the duchess, the queen decided that she needed to be more forward. Cashmere was a lovely woman and he had been good friends with both her and her brother Gloss from childhood, but she was not Annie. That alone was enough to convince Finnick that he would never fall in love with her.

Today, a few of Enobaria's most favored advisors were present. Plutarch Heavensbee, the new head sorcerer, seemed to have little interest in the proceedings. Finnick could not blame the man, as little would change for Heavensbee after Finnick took the throne. He had decided not to reinstate Mags, as the old woman enjoyed her newfound freedom, and Heavensbee appeared to be perfectly capable in his new role. General Lyme took careful note of the proceedings, probably attempting to glean some insight into Finnick's opinions on the war. If his views differed greatly from his stepmother's, the woman might have to drastically change her strategy for the conflict. The final counselor present was Snow. The man had seemed fine at first, but as Finnick grew to know him, Snow seemed more and more reptilian. The gentle, kind man Finnick had met had been a mask behind which a cold, calculating, merciless politician hid. Snow must have known something terrible about Enobaria. There was no other explanation of how such a ruthless individual could enter her inner circle so quickly.

Finnick dragged his attention back to the proceedings. Enobaria was still discussing the seating arrangements for the coronation, so no input from him was necessary. "Then Finnick and his lovely new queen will – "

He cut her off. "I actually think I will wait at least a while to be married." As he spoke the words, Finnick realized how untrue they were. His heart ached every moment he and Annie were apart. He needed to be with her, and he wanted the entire kingdom to know of the love they shared. He wanted to marry Annie very soon.

Enobaria barely glanced at him. "You may change your mind. Duchess Cashmere will make a fine wife and an excellent queen." Finnick let the subject drop. Every time he had tried to discuss Annie with Enobaria, she had acted as though he was a confused child incapable of understanding his own feelings. She assured him that his fascination with the serving maid would soon fade, and he would realize that Panem's noblewomen could better hold his interest.

"Your mother is quite right," said Snow. "You would do well to take Duchess Cashmere of the Calderon family as your bride." Snow smiled at him, and Finnick felt his skin crawl.

"I believe I will take my own counsel in this matter," he said, not wanting to prompt an argument. Enobaria left the topic alone, moving on to the more important business of whether Mags should be seated with the family or further back as an ex-advisor. Finnick stopped listening, instead observing Snow. There was something unsettling about the man. Most of Enobaria's advisors were cutthroat and power hungry, but there was something else about Snow that bothered him. He was coldly manipulative, a threat to be dealt with once Finnick took the crown.

* * *

After her return from the front lines, Katniss had decided not to immediately resume her position as a scullery maid. Her wages from the army should last her about a month if she was frugal, and she suspected that by the time the month was over, the queen would decide to make another attack on Elingdale. Haymitch had allowed Katniss to stay with him, and she helped him in the stables, but today he had told her to go visit her sister. She had trudged through the muddy courtyard in the rain and found the wing that held the sorceress's chambers before pausing to think how her visit would be received. She stood in front of the door, wondering if she should come back at a better time. The sorceress had been friendly the last time they had met, but what would she think of Katniss asking for a visit with her maid during working hours? Deciding it was best to get it over with, she knocked. Annie opened the door. "Katniss!" she squealed, wrapping her friend in a tight embrace. "I'm so happy to see you!"

"You too, Annie," said Katniss. She looked behind Annie, to where Prim was focusing intently on a floating book. "Do I need to be quiet?" she whispered.

Annie shook her head. "Not really. She's getting much better, and can do most things with some distractions."

"How long has she been doing this?"

"You know that she was practicing magic on her own before I came into Mags's service, and since Heavensbee replaced Mags as head sorcerer, Mags has been teaching her." They both paused to admire Prim's handiwork, and clapped when the book floated back down onto the tabletop.

"Prim, that's fantastic!" said Katniss, proud of her younger sister. Primrose rushed to embrace her older sister. When they separated, Katniss became aware of the older woman in the room. "Sorceress," she curtsied, "It is lovely to see you again."

Mags smiled. "It's always so nice to have visitors, especially on a rainy day like today. Please, dear, sit down next to the fire and make yourself comfortable. You look like someone tried to drown you." Katniss laughed. She was still soaked from her walk in the downpour, and she could see wet patches on Annie and Prim's dresses from when she had hugged them. Katniss took the woman's invitation, sitting down on one of the comfortable sofas facing the fire. Annie and Mags joined her as Primrose went into the other room to fetch some tea.

"I want to thank you for your hospitality and for teaching my younger sister some magic," Katniss said.

"It's wonderful to have such a talented young pupil," replied the sorceress. She thanked Prim as the girl handed her a cup of hot tea.

"Do you want some, Annie?" asked Prim.

Annie nodded. "Yes, I'm feeling much better now." Katniss looked at her questioningly. "I was not feeling well at all this morning, but I'm fine now," explained Annie. When Prim was finished pouring tea, the four women settled in for an afternoon of lighthearted chitchat. Katniss was glad that Prim had found such a wonderful environment to work in. The sorceress was obviously very kind to her servants, and was willing to encourage Prim's magical talents. With Prim and Johanna safe and happy, for the first time since her parents' death, Katniss was content.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much to Odestalovebaby for reviewing – it is always fantastic to know what people think of my writing! I'll try to have the next chapter up very soon. Thank you to everybody for sticking with this fanfiction. I promise something big in the next chapter. See you then!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	21. A Fantastic, Fluttering Feeling I

Mags sent Primrose out to pick herbs from the garden after breakfast that morning. Annie asked if she should help the other girl, but Mags asked her to stay. Once Prim was gone, the old woman sat down next to Annie. "Are you pregnant?" she asked in a gentle tone of voice.

Annie had not expected the sorceress to be so blunt. "Beg pardon?" she replied, trying to buy herself some time to think. Though Annie had suspected that she was pregnant for about two weeks, she had only become certain a few days before. She was definitely carrying Finnick's child. She did not know what to tell Mags. On one hand, the woman had been extremely kind to her, encouraging both her personal growth and her relationship with Finnick. On the other, Mags, like most citizens of Panem, probably looked down upon unwed mothers. Would the woman allow Annie to stay if she knew that she was expecting?

Mags repeated her question, then added, "Dear, please know that I am here to help you. I just want what is right for you and your family."

With those words, Annie's decision was made. "Yes," she whispered, embracing Mags and burying her head in the older woman's shoulder. All of the emotions she had kept locked up for the last several days poured out. She cried, not because she was unhappy about the baby, but because she was terrified of what was to come. Finnick had made no progress towards convincing the queen to allow them to marry. There was little chance he could arrange a wedding before the birth, and if their child was born before they were married, there was little hope that she would ever become Finnick's wife. If a king could not marry a serving girl, a king was definitely not allowed to marry a serving girl with an illegitimate child. Mags rubbed her back soothingly, making soft comforting noises, letting Annie cry. She tried to collect herself, taking deep breaths to stop the sobbing. Eventually, her efforts were successful, and she hiccupped before pulling away from Mags. "Thank you so much for everything," she told the woman.

"You're very welcome dear," Mags paused for a moment. "Have you told Finnick yet?"

Annie shook her head. "I was not sure until a couple of days ago, and I have not seen him since." She bit her lip. "What do you think his reaction will be?"

"I think we both know the answer to that question." Annie smiled. Finnick would be excited. He had mentioned a few times that he wanted a big family, and Annie had agreed. She loved children, and knew that Finnick would make a terrific father. A large part of her could not wait for their baby to arrive.

"I am excited," Annie admitted. Mags looked happier than Annie had ever seen her before at the news.

"You should be. I am certain you will have a very beautiful baby and be a wonderful mother." They heard footsteps from the hallway. "Go clean yourself up, love." Annie went into the bedroom she and Primrose shared to make herself presentable again. She dabbed at the red puffiness caused by her tears with a wet rag and spotted her reflection in the window's glass. She searched for the glow that her mother had once described pregnant women as having, but found nothing. The woman staring back at her looked like she had been crying and might have vomited that morning, which she had. However, there was a sparkle in her eyes that Annie had not noticed before. She still had no idea how this situation was going to work out. But whatever happened, she would have her baby and Finnick's love. That by itself was more than she had ever hoped for.

* * *

"I have a question to ask you," announced Finnick as he entered Mags's chambers without knocking.

Mags looked up from the book she had been reading. "Do you mean me, or the lovely girl you generally come calling for?" she asked teasingly.

"There are three lovely women who share these rooms, but today I want to talk to Annie."

Mags chuckled. "Flattery gets you everywhere, doesn't it?" she asked.

"Generally, yes. This time, I was merely reporting an observation," Finnick replied. When Annie entered the room, he practically skipped over to her to give her a hug. "I have a question for you," he repeated. "Annie Cresta, will you marry me?"

Annie looked at him strangely. "I think we already had this conversation," she said slowly.

"Will you marry me soon," he amended. "I do not think I will ever convince Enobaria that we should be married, and if I will not have my parents' blessing anyway, I would rather marry you sooner than later." Annie smiled, dragging him down for a kiss by pulling on the fabric of his shirt.

"Finnick Odair, I will do you the great honor of becoming your wife," she said teasingly. She glanced over to the sofa to find that Mags had left the two of them alone. "I have news for you," she said in a more serious voice. Finnick raised his eyebrows at her grave tone, waiting for her to share her thoughts. "We are going to have a baby."

An enormous grin immediately spread across his face. Finnick picked up Annie and spun her in a circle, making sure to put her down gently. "That's wonderful!" he exclaimed. "How long have you known?"

"About three days," said Annie. She stood up on her tiptoes for another kiss which Finnick happily gave. "I am so glad that we are getting married."

Finnick cupped her face in his hands. "I would have defied Enobaria's wishes and married you when you were only the love of my life. Now that you are also the mother of my child, my resolve has only strengthened." Annie had tears in her eyes, which he brushed away with his thumb. He kissed the top of her head before kneeling on the ground in front of her. Quickly scanning the room to make sure that Mags and Prim were gone, he pushed up her dress to place a series of soft kisses on her still-flat belly, kissing his child. Annie made a soft sound of surprise, and he sat back on his feet, letting her dress fall back into place. "I love you so much, Annie. I did not think it was possible to be any more in love, but you have proven me wrong."

"Glad I could help." He stood up, and they wrapped their arms around each other in a tight embrace. Finnick smiled against Annie's hair. He had not expected her announcement, but he was excited to start his new life with his little family of three.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I would really appreciate it if you would review. Until next time,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	22. A Fantastic, Fluttering Feeling II

A/N: Thank you so much to Odestalovebaby and Jaspersluva123456 for reviewing!

* * *

Johanna pressed a finger to her lips, silently telling Haymitch and Chaff to stay quiet. With exaggerated movements, she tiptoed up behind Katniss and grabbed the other woman's arms. Katniss swore and tried to elbow her attacker, but stumbled and blushed when she realized that the person who had sneaked up on her was Johanna. "How have you been, brainless?" Johanna asked.

"I'm fine, how about you?" Katniss replied. Johanna shrugged and pulled a face, making everyone in the room laugh. Katniss embraced her lover, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before sitting down again. Johanna was glad to note that Katniss was happy to see her. They had not spoken since their return from the border regions, and Johanna had worried that the other woman was avoiding her.

"The two of you aren't too drunk to say hello already, are you?" she demanded, slightly uncomfortable in the sudden silence. Chaff laughed his usual deep chuckle and welcomed her, but Haymitch only smiled and motioned her towards a chair. Johanna sat down, and the stable master placed an enormous tankard of ale in front of her.

"I hear that your little foray into military service was cut short," Haymitch started. "Have you heard anything more about this dragon since you came back?"

Everyone at the table focused their attention on her. Johanna shook her head. "No," she said. "I get the feeling that the queen and some of the very top generals know something about it, but even though they keep having us attend these briefing sessions, nobody has said anything more about it."

"Well, you'd imagine that Trogdor might be a little bit of a sore subject with that bunch," replied Haymitch. Chaff froze with his tankard halfway to his lips. Johanna looked at Katniss, confused. She had never heard that name before. The other woman shrugged, so Johanna asked Haymitch to explain. "He's a dragon, and a particularly nasty one at that. The old sorceress Katniss is so fond of – Mags, her name is, put some kind of sleeping charm on him about a hundred years ago. It was supposed to last a long time. Chaff, do you remember how long, couple hundred years right?"

Chaff thought for a moment. "I think maybe even closer to a thousand."

"Well, anyway, long enough that he wouldn't be a problem anytime during our lifetimes." Haymitch looked at Johanna and Katniss meaningfully, but Johanna could not grasp the point of this conversation.

Katniss asked the next question before Johanna could speak. "Okay, so why would Trogdor be a sore subject if Mags was able to take care of him?"

"Because he's back again." Johanna let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Katniss looked worried, but unconvinced. Haymitch turned slightly towards her before he explained. "Think about it sweetheart. Trogdor terrorized both Panem and Elingdale so it makes sense that he would have been caught and charmed somewhere around the border. Both the dragon you two saw and Trogdor are blue. Since most dragons are black, it's either a strange coincidence that a smiliar dragon found its way to the same place where Trogdor roamed or he's back. I know which way I would bet."

Johanna felt her stomach sink. She had hoped that Mags or Heavensbee would be able to kill the dragon or at least make it harmless. Now it seemed that Mags's magic was not as strong she had said. A worrying thought came to her. "I think I'm going to excuse myself for the night," she said. Haymitch looked worried, but he and Chaff wished her a good night. Katniss accompanied her back to her rooms. "Katniss, why did Enobaria dismiss Mags?"

Katniss paused. "Do you think she knew that Trogdor had been awoken and thought Mags was no longer able to keep Panem safe?" When Johanna looked up at Katniss's face, she could see that her lover's forehead had scrunched up in worry. She placed what she hoped was a comforting hand on Katniss's cheek.

"I don't know. If she did, why would she then send us into the border regions without any sorcerers? She must have known that the army by itself would have no chance against a dragon."

"What if Elingdale was never our mission to begin with?" Katniss asked. "What if Queen Enobaria was using the entire war as a way to get rid of Finnick?"

Johanna thought for a long moment before she replied. "I suppose it's possible," she answered. "Enobaria has been talking of abdicating in favor of Finnick, but maybe that was only to appease her husband. Also, the king's family is fairly small, and except for Finnick, there is not an obvious order of succession. If Finnick were gone, the queen would probably be able to stay on the throne until she died." She looked back at Katniss, worried now for the sake of her friend. Katniss laced her fingers through Johanna's and they walked in silence to Johanna's rooms.

Once they were inside Johanna's bedchamber, Katniss wrapped Johanna in a tight hug, which the other woman returned. Katniss leaned down to rest her head on Johanna's shoulder. "I'm scared," she whispered.

"Me too," Johanna admitted, rocking them back and forth slightly. "Stay with me tonight?" Katniss nodded, and they crawled into Johanna's bed together still fully clothed. They embraced, letting their foreheads rest again the other's as they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Finnick really did want to marry very soon, Annie mused. Only twelve hours after she told him of her pregnancy, Finnick had come back to announce they would marry in two days' time. He explained that he had spoken with the high priest, who had agreed to officiate the wedding. Annie wondered if the priest thought Finnick had been drugged into marrying her. The giddily happy look that Finnick had worn ever since she had let him know about the baby might make one think the prince had taken to drink or some of Mags's more potent potions.

Currently, she was packing up her meager belongings with Primrose's help. Mags had given both of them the afternoon free of duties so that they could get ready for the wedding tomorrow. Annie hoped that she would still be able to see Mags and Prim fairly often. They had been wonderfully kind to her, and she knew she would miss the conversations they had over afternoon tea.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" asked Prim, breaking the silence.

Annie nodded, not sure she could talk right now without crying. She did love Finnick, and could not wait for them to start their new life together, but she was also nervous about both the responsibilities of being the crown prince's wife and leaving her friends. Prim noticed the tears beginning to form in her eyes and hugged her. "I'm sure everything will be fine," she said. "You are brave and smart and beautiful. The people will love you," Annie smiled and wiped her tears away with a handkerchief she grabbed out of her pile of packed belongings. She hoped for both her and Finnick's sakes that Primrose was right.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! As always, reviews are appreciated. Next chapter: the wedding!


	23. A Fantastic, Fluttering Feeling III

Annie woke up early the next morning to prepare for what was sure to be a hectic day. The wedding was scheduled for one o'clock that afternoon, but Annie knew it would take hours to get ready. She took a far longer bath than usual, making sure to wash every inch of her skin and hair thoroughly. She wanted to look her best for her wedding. When she was done soaking, she toweled dry and started to brush the knots out of her long brown hair. Today, she was in too good of a mood to curse when she found a particularly difficult snag. She dressed in her nicest outfit, an old but barely worn gray dress of her mother's. There had not been time to make a new dress for the wedding, and Annie was perfectly content wearing this reminder of her old life on the day she started her new life with Finnick.

The sun was not even up yet. Getting ready had taken less time than she thought it would. Annie thought about eating breakfast, but decided not to. She had put a lot of effort into making herself look nice, and morning sickness would only undo all that work. Annie got sick anyway. She redid her earlier routine and finished by making herself some tea and sitting in front of the fire, waiting for Mags and Primrose to wake up.

"You look beautiful!" Mags said as she entered the room in her dressing gown. She walked up to Annie and guided her out of her chair, having the servant spin in front of her so she could admire her from every angle. "Finnick's a lucky man," the old woman concluded.

"Thank you."

"What would you like to wear?" Mags asked.

Annie was a bit confused by the woman's question. She was already wearing her mother's beautiful gray dress, the nicest thing she owned. Then she thought of the green gown Mags had created for the ball. "I don't know if this makes sense, but could you make a dress that's a mixture between this and the ball gown you made for the masquerade?" Even to her own ears, her request sounded odd.

"Something that has elements of both the serving girl you are now and the princess you'll become at the wedding?" asked Mags. Annie nodded, and Mags left to grab some supplies. She came back with both Primrose and her green stones in tow. "Now dear, let's see what we can do."

Mags allowed Primrose to try first. Annie's gown changed colors and she could feel that the fabric had become smoother and silkier, but it wasn't exactly what Annie was hoping for. She thanked Primrose for trying. The girl had come a long way in the weeks since the ball. Mags gave a wave of her hands, and the pretty but fairly plain dress was transformed into something beautiful. Annie could feel the added volume of the skirt and the tightness of the corseted top. Mags took Annie by the hand and led her into her bedchamber, where she had a long mirror.

Annie had never felt so gorgeous. Mags had made a dress more beautiful than any she had ever imagined wearing. The sorceress had somehow managed to keep some of the feeling of Annie's mother's dress while creating a wedding dress fit for a princess. The dress shared the simple, high neckline of Annie's gray dress, but the color was now greenish gray. The material of the skirt was slightly gauzy, revealing layers of light fabric. Annie twirled in front of the mirror, entranced. "Oh, thank you!" she said, embracing Mags. The old woman laughed.

"I don't think the dress changing back at midnight will be a concern this time," she noted. Annie blushed a little at what Mags was implying, but luckily Prim did not seem to catch on. Mags glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. "We have a little over an hour left. How does some lunch sound?" Annie had consumed only a small cup of tea that day, so she quickly agreed, and Prim was sent to grab lunch from the kitchens.

"Are we ready?" asked Mags after they were finished eating. Annie nodded, and their little party left for the royal family's private chapel. She was glad to find Katniss waiting outside. Her friend's appearance was neater than usual, and Annie was touched that Katniss had not only accepted her invitation to attend, but also spent some extra effort to look nice on her big day. They entered the chapel without any hassle from the guards. Finnick must have told them that they were coming. Annie looked around her, amazed by her beautiful surroundings. Windows of covered glass lined the walls, and the ceiling was covered in intricate carvings. One feature of the room, though, captured her attention. Finnick was waiting for her on the opposite end of the room. She fought to keep her stately pace and not rush into his arms. When she finally reached him, they took each other's hands and waited for the high priest to begin. Though Annie was certain the man gave a beautiful speech, she barely listened, instead focusing on her soon-to-be-husband's smile.

Finally, it was time for the vows. Finnick began. "Annie Cresta, you are my lover and my best friend. If you will consent to be my wife, I promise to be loyal, kind, and truthful towards you. I will give you all the love and companionship that I can offer and never stop working to be the best husband I possibly can. I promise that I will love, care for, and protect you until the day death rips us apart."

"Annie Cresta, do you agree to be Finnick's wife?" the priest asked.

Annie nodded, tears already running down her face. "I do." She started on her own vows. "Finnick Odair, you are the smartest, kindest, most generous man I could ever hope to meet. It is an honor just to call you my friend, much less my lover. If you will consent to be my husband, I swear to you that I will love and defend you. I will stay with you through good times and bad, always striving to be the best wife, friend, and someday mother of your children that I can be. I promise you my honesty, loyalty, commitment, and love for as long as the Spirit allows us both to live."

"Finnick Odair, do you agree to be Annie' husband?"

"I do." Even before the priest gave his permission, Finnick and Annie kissed. When they separated, Annie could see that Mags was crying. The woman standing behind Finnick had tears in her eyes a well. She had not even noticed the petite brunette woman who was making eyes at Katniss before. Finnick noticed her confusion and introduced the woman as Johanna Mason, his childhood best friend.

"And the love of my life," said Katniss. Annie turned to her friend, surprised that she even knew the other woman.

"The priest is still here, should we have him do another wedding?" Annie joked. Katniss and Johanna looked at each other for a moment, seriously considering Annie's offer before shaking their heads.

"I think some other day will work just as well," Johanna said. "It's wonderful to meet you, Annie. I'm glad to see that Finnick has such good taste in women." She hugged them both, then left. Katniss and Primrose followed suit. The priest had left the instant the ceremony was complete, leaving only Mags, Finnick, and Annie.

The sorceress embraced Finnick tightly. "It's so good to see you settled and happy," she said.

"Thank you so much for everything. Without you, I doubt Annie and I would have ever met. We owe this day to you, Mags," Finnick answered.

The old woman withdrew, then kissed Annie on the cheek. "I think I'll be going now as well," she said. "You two don't want to spend your wedding day with an old lady like me." Before either of them could protest, Mags had marched out the door.

Hand in hand, Finnick and Annie walked to his chambers. There was no longer any reason to hide their love. "Thank you, Annie, for making me the happiest man alive," said Finnick, placing a chaste kiss on her hand. Annie blushed.

"Thank you for becoming my husband," she said. With that, Finnick picked her up and placed her gently on the center of his huge bed.

He joined her, and they kissed, both too happy to express their joy with words. Their hands soon started to roam each other's bodies. Finnick broke the kiss. "Can you still do this, even with a baby on the way?" he asked. Annie nodded, and her husband kissed her again.

They helped each other undress, and then made slow, gentle love for most of the afternoon and evening. When they were finally sated, Finnick wrapped his arms around her. "I love you, princess, he whispered as she dozed off.

"I love you too," were the last words he heard before he fell asleep, his fingers intertwined with Annie's.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, they got married! I hope you liked it! Thanks to Odestalovebaby for reviewing. I love feedback – please let me know what you think! As always, thank you so much for reading. See you soon!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	24. Behind Closed Doors I

He must be insane. That was the only explanation for her stepson's recent behavior. Enobaria sat on her bed with her hands covering her eyes. Surely he realized that a match with a servant would not help him socially among the court or politically with their neighboring countries? That morning, when Finnick had come to her to announce his marriage, Enobaria had tried to convince him to obtain an annulment. He could pay the girl off and send her away. Even if she ever spoke of her marriage, no one would believe her. But being the difficult child he was, Finnick had refused.

She could always have Annie Cresta permanently removed, but Finnick would be suspicious. Any hope of her ruling the kingdom through him would disappear if he thought she had anything to do with his new bride's death.

Enobaria lay back on her mattress. Although it went against her nature, she might have to accept the situation. Any fool could see that Finnick was in love. If he wanted to keep any power after Cadoc's abdication, she needed to accept Annie into their family.

She called for her maid, who helped her undress and ready herself for bed. Enobaria slipped under the covers and willed herself to sleep. Perhaps in the morning she would have a better idea of what to do.

Her dreams that night were filled with images of a war-ravaged Panem. Her peasants starved under the rule of an inexperienced young king. Coin stole region after region of her precious kingdom. Trogdor burned the fields and devoured her people, and Enobaria was powerless to stop it. Instead, she stood next to Finnick as the boy ignored his duty to be with his Annie Cresta. She woke up covered in cold sweat. The last image from her nightmares was burned into her mind: Snow, his reptilian features more pronounced than ever, sitting on her throne. The events from her dream could not be allowed to pass. Enobaria had to retain control over her stepson.

That afternoon, Snow again cornered her. "I do hope, my queen, that you have begun to plan our next assault on Elingdale," he began.

"Actually, Minister Snow, your services will no longer be necessary." Enobaria dismissed the man, who took an angry step towards her.

"I think you wish to take back those words," Snow said. "I know that you believe that my power over you dies when you stepson takes the throne, but I assure you my lady, I will own you until the day you die." Enobaria could not help but retreat back a step at his words. "You will never escape your past, and Finnick will never escape his."

Though she was sure to follow the court gossip, Enobaria had never heard any whisperings of Finnick. As far as she knew, the boy had never hurt a soul. "You do know about your stepson and the serving girl, do you not?" Enobaria shuddered as the man smiled.

"Yes, I do. Finnick informed me of his marriage this morning. I hope you will give him your congratulations." Enobaria was relieved. Finnick's marriage would soon be common knowledge among the elite. If Snow knew no other secrets about Finnick, the prince may be able to rule without interference from the vile advisor. "If you have nothing else to say, I believe I will retire."

She walked to the door with her head held high. Just before she left, Enobaria turned to add, "Minister Snow, in order to allow you to save face, I will give you two weeks to leave this castle. If you are not gone by the end of those two weeks, I will have you imprisoned." She allowed the door to slam behind her. Finally, she was free of Coriolanus Snow and his threats.

* * *

Snow stared after the woman, still dumbfounded that the prince had not only married the serving girl, but also confessed the union to the queen. He sat down upon her throne to think. After the servant had seen Prince Finnick kissing another servant in the hallway, he had been certain he could use the girl as leverage against Finnick. Now it seemed that he would have to find a different path to power.

It was a shame his original plan had failed, as it really had been exquisite. Blackmailing Enobaria had been only one small step in his games. For years beforehand, while posted in Elingdale, he had slipped tiny doses of a potent mind-altering potion to Queen Alma, slowly brainwashing her to do his bidding. When he returned to Panem, he still had enough control over the woman to have her annex Panem's border regions. Enobaria had to respond with war, and because Snow knew the dark secrets of her past, he was now managing both sides of the conflict. With the awakening of Trogdor and the misery that accompanied any war, popular opinion would soon turn on both queens, and Snow would be able to manipulate the masses into overthrowing their monarchs. When he proposed everlasting peace by uniting the two nations under a single ruler, commoners and nobles alike would give him their support.

Yes, he mused, it truly was unfortunate that his elegant plan had failed. But perhaps with a few minor changes, he could achieve the same results. Everyone had a weakness, and the crown prince certainly was no exception. He stroked the soft velvet of Enobaria's throne and smiled. Yes, the potential rewards were more than worth a little extra planning.

* * *

A/N: Hello again! Sorry it took a few days longer than usual to update – I've been working on a new Hunger Games fantasy AU that's been taking a lot of my time. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Reviews, as always, are appreciated. Thanks to Odestalovebaby, The Honey Crisp, and the anonymous reviewer for reviewing! And to everyone, thanks for reading!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	25. Behind Closed Doors II

Annie smiled as she stirred her tea. She enjoyed her afternoons with Mags and Primrose even more now that she did not spend all her time with them. Since the wedding, Johanna and Katniss had also become frequent participants in their afternoon get-togethers. The five women met twice a week to chat and socialize without the pressures of formal court gatherings. For Annie, these afternoons were a welcome break from her new life.

She sighed when she realized it was time to leave. With the coronation fast approaching, her social calendar had become increasingly busy. She had a dress fitting this afternoon and a concert to attend this evening. If she wanted to be even close to on time for either, she needed to leave now. Annie quickly made her goodbyes and returned to the chambers she and Finnick shared. She dumped the teakettle that was sitting out for her. Despite numerous requests, the maid assigned to her always left a full kettle out for the prince and princess to drink throughout the day. Annie's mother had told her that freshly brewed tea was healthier, and though Annie suspected that her mother's words were more folk wisdom than legitimate medical advice, she still preferred to brew her own tea for herself and Finnick.

There was a knock on the door. Out of habit, Annie answered the door herself. Lucy, her maid, would scold her for doing a servant's work, but she had not yet fully adjusted to life as a noblewoman. Cinna, the dressmaker, was standing on the other side. "Hello, m'lady. How are you this afternoon?"

"I'm doing well. How are you faring?" Annie led him into her receiving room.

"Very well, actually. I have this new customer. She is very sweet and wonderful to work for, but sometimes she can be a little bit of a pain. You see, I have been trying to get her to give ideas on a dress for the coronation for weeks now, but she still hasn't told me what she wants."

Annie tried not to laugh. "That sounds infuriating. I am certain, though, that your client would be willing to take any advice you have. You do always make her look lovely."

"In that case, I think we should go with a simpler purple dress but make an ornate velvet cape to wear over it."

"That sounds perfect." Annie let Cinna help her out of her day dress so that he could make the necessary measurements. He worked efficiently, and they actually finished earlier than Annie had expected. "Would you care to stay for a while?" she asked. Cinna nodded, and they sat down on the sofas. "How is your family?"

"They are worried about Trogdor, but so far they have seen nothing of him," Cinna said. "The neighboring village, though, was not so lucky. Three days ago, the dragon incinerated a farmhouse. They still haven't found the bodies."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Annie said honestly. In the weeks since the failed attack on Elingdale, there had been several sightings of the dragon in the border regions. Finnick had told her that by the best estimates, Trogdor had killed at least forty peasants and destroyed thousands of acres of crops. Mags should be able to re-charm the dragon, but they had yet to find Trogdor's lair. Finnick and a few of the top generals had mapped out the sightings and attacks, but there was no apparent pattern. The dragon was being careful.

Cinna bit his lip nervously. "Do you think they are close to figuring out where he is?" Annie shook her head. She wanted to comfort the man, but in truth she had no idea when they would locate the dragon.

"They are doing their best. I hope your family will be safe very soon." Just as she finished her sentence, Finnick came in. Cinna immediately stood up and bowed to the prince, but Finnick gestured for him to sit down. Annie made the necessary introductions. "Cinna, I would like to introduce you to my husband, Finnick. Finnick, this is Cinna, the modiste who dresses me. He has family in the border regions."

Finnick's green eyes darkened with sadness at the mention of Cinna's family. "I am very sorry to hear that," he said. "I assure you, we are doing our absolute best to locate the dragon so that we can stop him from threatening people like your family."

"Thank you, sir." Cinna glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. "I think I will take my leave now. It was very nice to meet you, my lord." He bowed again towards Finnick, then turned to Annie. "M'lady, it's always a pleasure." With that, Cinna nodded to Lucy, who guided him out of the couple's chambers, leaving Finnick and Annie alone.

Finnick pulled Annie close for a quick kiss. "How has your day been?" he asked.

"Good. I saw Mags for tea. She says that you need to come and visit her."

"I know, but there has just been so much to do lately. I'll make a point of stopping by in the next couple days." Finnick lowered himself onto the sofa gingerly.

Anne moved to sit on his lap. "Sore today?"

"Yes. I think I did something to my back in training yesterday." Annie shifted off of his lap so that she could rub the stiff muscles on his back. "Oh, thank you, that feel fantastic." Finnick's eyes closed in pleasure.

For several minutes, the only sounds were small sighs from Finnick when Annie loosened a particularly tight knot in his back. "Finnick, when do you think that your group will find Trogdor?" she whispered.

"I have no idea. Everytime we think we have a lead, it turns out to be nothing. I worry that we are searching in the wrong places, that we are missing something obvious, and won't find him." Finnick turned to look into her eyes. "Annie, I want to help people like Cinna' family, to show them that I have their best interests at heart, but I don't know how."

Annie wrapped her arms around her husband and rested her head on his back. "I know," she said. "I feel so guilty planning a giant celebration for your coronation while the peasants in the border regions are suffering, but I don't know what else I can do." They stayed in that position for long minutes, neither one wanting to break the embrace.

Finnick looked across the room at the clock. "Annie, what time does the concert start?"

"Seven thirty," Annie answered. "Why, what time is it?"

"Seven ten." Annie jumped up and scurried into her room to get ready. Finnick followed her. "May I help you get dressed, m'lady?"

Annie smiled at him. "No, your abilities as a maid leave something to be desired."

"Such as?" Finnick raised his eyebrows in mock confusion.

"Well, you do quite well at getting me out of my first set of clothes, but you seem to have a hard time helping me into the second set. We're in a hurry tonight. Could you fetch Lucy for me?"

"What if I promise to only make us fashionably late?" Finnick took another step forward.

"Then I suppose that would be fine," Annie giggled as Finnick shut the door behind him.

* * *

A/N: Hello everybody! Can you believe we're already 25 chapters in!? I'm sorry that I've been updating less frequently lately, but I don't know if I'll be able to return to the almost daily updates. Thanks for reading, and special thanks to Odestalovebaby for reviewing! I really do appreciate reviews – I love to know what my lovely readers think of my stories. Thanks again for reading!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	26. Behind Closed Doors III

"It's fucking infuriating, that's what it is."

Katniss sat on the bed watching her lover. "They have to be running out of areas to search. I bet they'll find him soon." It felt odd to be the one calming down someone else. Usually Katniss was the angry one.

"They've been looking for months and still no trace!" Johanna shouted. "Sorry, it's not your fault," she apologized, moving to sit next to her. "I'm just so fucking angry at all the incompetent asses that Enobaria's sent out. They should have found Trogdor by now." Johanna rested her head on Katniss's shoulder.

Katniss mindlessly ran her fingers through the other woman's hair. Johanna was right. The scouts should have found something by now. "What if he's not in the border regions?" asked Katniss hesitantly.

Johanna shook her head. "It's a possibility, of course, and Enobaria has a few teams searching the other regions, but all signs point to Trogdor hiding somewhere in the border regions. We've even sent a few scouts into Elingdale without Queen Alma's knowledge. They have also found nothing."

"We should go."

"We didn't do so well the first time we met him, did we?" Johanna replied scathingly.

Katniss's eyes hardened with resolve. "No, but we do have at least some experience with him. How many of the queen's teams have ever actually encountered the dragon?"

Johanna paused for a moment before answering. "None, but I'm sure there's a good argument as to why we shouldn't do this. Just give me a minute to think of it."

"We could do so much good, and you know we'd both make great scouts."

"Yeah, but we should think before we rush into this. Let's give it 'til tomorrow at least before we volunteer." Johanna kicked off her shoes and flopped backwards onto her bed.

Katniss pressed her body against Johanna's. "You're going to agree, you know," she said.

"What makes you think that?"

She slid her hand underneath Johanna's dress, letting her fingers rest dangerously close to her breast. "You just can't say no to me."

Johanna laughed. "We'll see about that one, won't we?" She gently hugged the other woman, her grip tightening when Katniss tickled her stomach. Johanna laughed and flailed before wrestling Katniss onto her back. Katniss smiled up at her before lifting her head for a kiss. "I love you," Johanna whispered before pressing her lips against Katniss's.

"I love you too," she responded once they had separated. "So, do you think Molly thinks I was trying to kill you earlier?"

"You weren't?" Johanna laughed. Her voice took on a throatier, deeper tone. "Would you like to really make her doubt what's happening in here?"

"Oh, please yes," breathed Katniss.

Johanna and Katniss had both underestimated the serving girl. From the gasps, sighs, and squeals coming from her mistress's bedchamber, Molly could infer exactly what was happening.

* * *

"Lucy, could you get that?" asked Annie when she heard the knock on the door. "I'm not modest."

"You're not supposed to get the door anyway, m'lady," the servant laughed. "You're the princess. Let me do my job." Annie smiled at the woman and scurried into her bedchamber to dress. Her hair would still be sopping wet when she met with her guest, but at least she would be clothed. She cursed her navy dress as she tried to button it. Why did the upper classes insist on wearing such ridiculously complicated clothing? Finally, she decided that she was almost presentable and went out to see who had called.

She was surprised to find Snow, the queen's former advisor, sitting in her receiving room. "Good morning," Annie said warily.

"Hello, my dear," replied Snow, bowing in greeting. Annie shivered at the man's cold, reptilian smile.

"Please, do have a seat."

Once they were both settled, Snow continued their conversation. "I'm sure you're wondering why I came to visit."

"Yes. I thought you had been banned from the castle," Annie reached for the bell that would alert Lucy to come into the room. She did not want to be alone with this man.

"Don't do that." Snow's voice was commanding, but Annie did not drop the bell. Instead, she rang it as loudly as she could. The man reached out to grab her wrist. Annie tried to pull away, but he would not let go. She looked up at Snow's face as Lucy rushed into the room, surprised to see the shock in the man's features.

"Let go of m'lady!" shouted Lucy.

Snow loosened his grip on her arm, but he did not release her completely. "How did you do it?" he asked.

Annie looked at him quizzically. "I'm sorry, how did I do what?" Snow did not reply, instead just looking at her thoughtfully. Annie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "If you have nothing to say, I will have to ask you to leave," she said in the most authoritative voice she could muster. She waited for him to respond for a few seconds, but when he said nothing, Annie asked Lucy to see the man out.

"I'll be in touch," said Snow as Lucy led him out of the room. "You would do well to follow my instructions to the letter, if you value your child's safety." With that, he was gone.

Annie watched him leave, then collapsed onto a chair, confused and scared. How could Snow hurt the baby? What did he even want from her? She supposed she could curry Finnick's favor for him, but why would he choose to threaten her and not one of Finnick's many advisors? If he could harm an unborn child, certainly he could effectively threaten anyone in court into doing as he said. Was the man mad? Could he even carry through with his threats?

Lucy came back to find her mistress sobbing. She fetched a blanket from the next room and gently wrapped it around Annie's shoulders. "Don't worry, m'lady, he's just a bitter old man who lost his post. I told the guards on him, and they've taken him out of the castle. He can't hurt you."

Annie wanted to be reassured by her servant's kind words, but she was not convinced that her baby was no longer in danger. She thanked Lucy, but stayed seated in the same spot for the rest of the afternoon, thinking. The only conclusion she could draw was that her encounter with Snow had left her with more questions than answers.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I really hope you liked it. Thank you so much to Juliet's Shadow, stick-at-nought shady, HybridsRose, Odestalovebaby, Nola, and The Honey Crisp for reviewing! I love knowing what you think of the story so far, and would really appreciate it if you could leave a review. Thanks again, and see you soon!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	27. Behind Closed Doors IV

Finnick gazed longingly across the table at Annie. Enobaria's dinner parties had always been his least favorite of the court's many events, but usually he and Annie could hold hands under the table and talk to each other. Tonight, though, the queen had seated them at opposite ends of the long table. She caught his gaze and flashed him a quick smile before returning to her conversation with Cashmere, who was seated on her right. Finnick knew he should be paying attention to the other guests, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from Annie. She had recently started showing, which caused all sorts of gossip in the court, but to him it only made her more beautiful. The idea that Annie was carrying a baby that was half him and half her was incredible.

"Sir, what do you think?" asked Heavensbee, interrupting his thoughts.

Finnick had no idea what the last few minutes of conversation had even been about. "I'm sorry, could you repeat what you just said? I must have missed a word or two."

Plutarch smiled. "We were just discussing how much the peasants should be told about the unresolved situation with Trogdor."

"Surely they should have as much information as possible. The peasants are the ones most at risk; they ought to know what Trogdor looks like, the kind of attacks he has made in the past, the regions in which he's been spotted, and so on." Finnick couldn't believe that Heavensbee and Caesar Flickerman, the queen's Minister of Information, had actually been debating this. What other reasonable position was there?

"I must beg to disagree," began Heavensbee. "The peasants should be led to believe that they are safe. They must believe that the queen has the situation under control in order to prevent unrest. There could be riots or even rebellion if the people think that Queen Enobaria cannot fulfill her duty to keep them safe"

Flickerman glanced at Finnick before responding, "I agree that we shouldn't tell them absolutely everything, but what if we made obvious that Trogdor is a threat and very carefully told the peasants about everything their queen is doing to stop him?"

"What do you think that would accomplish?" Finnick asked, intrigued.

Flickerman smiled, obviously pleased with the prince's interest. "Well, I believe that this would provide a tremendous boost in popularity for both the queen and the military, especially once we start seeing real results."

"You mean, once the scouts find Trogdor. You do understand that we seem to be no closer to that goal than we were months ago?" Though the queen had dozens of teams of scouts searching the border regions, they had so far found no trace of the dragon. Finnick, along with the rest of the top commanders, was becoming anxious that they would never find Trogdor's lair.

"But the queen is increasing the number of people searching. They should find something very soon. Either way, we now have a good idea of where Trogdor isn't. We'll find him eventually, even if it is only through the process of elimination." Heavensbee took a long sip from his goblet after he finished speaking.

Finnick still had his doubts, but from a logical perspective, the sorcerer's argument made perfect sense. Panem, though certainly large, was not an enormous country. Eventually, they would find this dragon. The question was how much suffering Trogdor would cause before then.

_Ding, ding! _The sound of a glass being tapped with a fork halted their conversation and brought the entire room's attention to the queen. "Thank you all for joining me this evening," said Enobaria. "I would like to wish you all a good night."

That was odd. They had obviously been excused, but usually these parties went much later. Perhaps Enobaria did not feel well. Finnick said goodbye to the other men and went to find Annie. He certainly was not going to complain about his newfound free time.

"May I escort you back to your rooms, m'lady?" he asked once he found Annie.

She giggled. "Of course." They walked together through the long, twisting hallways back to their room. As soon as the door was closed, Annie's voice became serious. "We need to talk," she said.

"What's wrong?" Finnick was immediately concerned for the baby. She had visited Primrose and Mags earlier that afternoon for tea. Perhaps one of them had given her bad news about their child?

"I don't know what to do," Annie whispered. "Yesterday afternoon, Snow came - "

"Snow came here? He was supposed to be banned from the palace!" Finnick interrupted.

"Yes, I know that. Anyway, he came here and told me that I must do as he said, or he would hurt the baby. I don't believe he actually has that kind of power, but I'm afraid to call his bluff." Annie was shaking with fear, so he guided her over to the sofa and sat down beside her.

Finnick gathered his wife up in his arms. "Did he give you any instructions?"

"No," he could feel Annie's head shake against his chest, "he told me to be waiting for any communication from him." She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. "Finnick, what should we do? I don't want him to hurt the baby."

"We should tell Enobaria what has happened. That way, she can alert the scouts to be on the lookout for Snow. We'll find him." Finnick tried to look confident for Annie, but he suspected she could see through his mask of certainty.

Annie snorted at his suggestion. "I'm not sure that will help. After all, they have been looking for Trogdor forever and still haven't found him. That's a dragon. How are they supposed to locate a man who was able to sneak into the castle after he'd been banned?"

"I'm not sure it will either, but at least it's something." Finnick tried to think of a better solution, but he could think of nothing. "Did you ask Mags her advice earlier?"

"Yes, but she had no ideas either." Annie burrowed her face into his shoulder. "I say that we wait until he comes up with these demands, then take it from there."

"That sounds acceptable." Finnick kissed the top of Annie's head. He thought about Snow's threats as he listened to his wife's breathing and heartbeat. If Snow tried to hurt Annie or their child, he would hunt the man down. Of that, Finnick was certain.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! Special thanks to everyone who reviewed! If you could leave a review, it would be much appreciated. I would love to know what you think of the story so far! Until next time,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	28. In Limbo

Johanna squared her shoulders and raised her axe, launching it towards the tree. After a two day trek through the woods, both of them needed a rest. Apparently, her idea of resting was committing plant murder.

"What did the tree ever do to you?" laughed Katniss.

Johanna glared at her. "We have been out here for three weeks. Nothing. Not one scale. No rumors, even."

The lack of answers was infuriating. Katniss had hoped that because they were searching outside the border regions, they would be able to quickly locate Trogdor, but so far, they had not found any sign of the dragon.

"We're just two women," she reasoned, "and Trogdor's eluded everyone for a couple months now. We're doing nothing wrong. Someone'll find him eventually."

"Is eventually before or after he fries every peasant in Panem?" Johanna spoke angrily.

"I haven't even heard of any recent attacks," answered Katniss.

Johanna sighed. "I'm just sick and tired of this whole thing. Someone would have found this dragon by now if we were looking in the right place."

"If we knew the right place to look, I don't think we'd need search teams," Katniss laughed.

"You know what I mean, brainless." Johanna paused for a moment, before adding in a much softer voice, "I'm scared for Finnick."

Katniss moved to sit next to her on the decomposing log in the center of the clearing. She put her arms around Johanna, who allowed her head to rest on Katniss's shoulder.

"I'm afraid that all of this, the dragon, the war, everything, is just some elaborate scheme by someone to gain power," Johanna admitted.

Katniss was unsure of how to respond. Should she agree or try to persuade her friend otherwise? She settled for squeezing Johanna a bit tighter. "I'm worried about Finnick and Annie too," she said softly.

"It just seems exactly like the kind of thing she would do, you know?" said Johanna, moving her head from Katniss's shoulder to sit upright.

"Enobaria?"

"Yes." Johanna nodded. "She likes these power games. I can see her sacrificing her own people, letting it be somewhat under control during the last weeks of her reign and then having all hell break loose when it comes time for Finnick to rule."

"Which would then allow her to say that he's ineffectual, so she could convince Cadoc to place her back on the throne." Katniss buried her face in her hands as she finished speaking.

"Exactly."

Katniss placed her hands in her lap to look directly at Johanna. "Do you think we can do anything?"

Johanna stared down at the ground for a long moment before replying. "I … I don't think so."

"Let's just keep an eye out for anything unusual."

"Isn't that our job anyway?" Johanna laughed.

Katniss had to concede that point. "Well, an extra eye. Think we can reach a village by sunset?"

"No. The map suggested the next town was three days away. It's only been two."

"Good, then. No reason to hurry." Katniss sat back down on the log.

Johanna winked at her. "Got any plans for our free time?" she asked.

"Yes," Katniss replied in her most seductive voice.

"Want to tell me all about them?"

"Sure. You can dig your axe out of that poor tree, and then we can walk. I'd like to sleep in a real bed tomorrow." Katniss stated matter-of-factly.

Johanna pouted at her. "Remind me, why do I like you again?"

"You don't like me, dear, you love me." She couldn't really argue with that statement.

* * *

"Someone is hiding him. That has to be what it is happening."

Enobaria rubbed her temples with her fingertips. "Why do you think this?" she asked in the most diplomatic voice she could muster.

"Do you truly believe it was chance that led Trogdor to return so close to Finnick's coronation?" said Mags. The elderly sorceress no longer held any official post, but since the news of the dragon's awakening, Enobaria had sought Mags's advice on a number of issues.

The woman continued, "We've been searching for months. Obviously, there's something that we're missing. The scouts have been searching for Trogdor for months now, and they still have found nothing. Someone woke up the beast, of that I'm certain. Why could this sorcerer or sorceress not be hiding him? It makes more sense than anything else we've come up with."

"I suppose that makes sense," Enobaria said wearily. "Why, though, does it matter that Finnick is going to take the throne? Why now instead of a year ago?"

Mags sat down on a soft chair next to the throne. "With a new king in power, there is bound to be some unrest. A new king is more vulnerable to attack than someone like you. Perhaps this person is trying to use this situation to steal power away from your family."

Enobaria had always known, deep down, that this was a power play, but she had not wanted to confront her suspicions. She suspected she knew who this sorcerer could be. "Mags, may I take you into my deepest confidence?" she asked.

The old woman nodded.

"I think I know who is orchestrating these attacks," she admitted. "Several months ago, a man threatened me with some, err, let's say _delicate _information about my past. He said that should I not obey him, he would release this information to the public, ruining me."

"Snow," breathed Mags.

Enobaria's gaze shot up to her eyes. "Yes, how did you know?"

"He's tried something similar with Annie."

"What is that girl hiding?" demanded Enobaria. Mags only smiled at her. "Oh, very well, don't tell. I'll find out soon enough. Anyway, you must know that I dismissed him a couple of months ago. I was sure that Finnick and Annie were beyond reproach, that he had nothing on them. I thought they would be safe from his blackmail." Enobaria's voice faltered. "I'm so sorry, to both of them. I never meant for things to go so wrong."

"Don't worry, child," said Mags, coming to stand next to the queen and gently patting her on the back. "You're doing the best you can."

"You don't understand! I not only let his minion into the castle, but let him stay here!"

"You believe that Plutarch Heavensbee is responsibe?" asked Mags.

Enobaria nodded. "He was Snow's choice for your role," she explained.

"That is a serious allegation," Mags pondered aloud. "We will need evidence."

"I am still the law of this land. My suspicions are enough to have Heavensbee jailed. Perhaps we can force some information from him," Enobaria stood up and marched to the door. "Have a good day, Mags. I'm sure the next few will be interesting." She left to call for the guards to arrest Heavensbee.

Mags sighed and looked down at the floor. Over the last few weeks, she had come to know Heavensbee quite well, and she doubted that he had released Trogdor. She steeled herself and left for her chambers. She would find the person responsible for the horrors in the border regions, even if it was the last thing she ever did.

Mags snorted to herself. Given her age, it might just be.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Unfortunately, I think it's going to be a while before the next chapter as well. Hope this was worth it! As always, thanks to my lovely reviewers: The Honey Crisp, HybridsRose, Nola, and Odestalovebaby for their feedback! Reviews are welcome and appreciated – I want to know what you think of the story, and I love ideas for how to improve it. Thanks again for reading! Until next time,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	29. The Lick of Flames I

"I have letters for you, m'lady," Lucy called as she bustled about the quarters, tidying their rooms.

"Thank you, Lucy. Could you please leave them on my nightstand? I'm not feeling well today, and I think I'll answer my correspondence from bed." Though both Mags and the court physician agreed that her pregnancy was going well, Annie felt miserable. Her feet and ankles were always swollen, her morning sickness still had not disappeared, and her back hurt. Already enormous at seven months, Annie had no idea whether she would even be able to walk the last few weeks before the baby arrived. She had gained a new respect for the serving maids that continued to work through their pregnancies. She doubted she would be able to stay on her feet for ten hours a day in her condition.

Annie breathed a sigh of relief as she sat down on the bed. After pausing to enjoy the plushness of the soft mattress for a moment, she started working on the pile of letters. Most were of little importance: invitations to tea, congratulations on the baby, and thanks for attending other events. Others were more serious. Word had spread to the peasants that the new princess had been born into poverty, and many of them believed Annie would be the member of the royal family most receptive to their pleas for assistance. Reading these letters was always heartbreaking; so many families had so little, and with the queen's scouts seemingly no closer to locating Trogdor, peasants in the border regions had lost what little security they had. Though she longed to help these people, Annie knew she could do little. When Finnick took the throne, he would have the resources to alleviate the crushing poverty of the peasants, but currently, only Enobaria held that power. She had become closer to the queen over the last few months, but Annie doubted the woman would give up her wealth to help those in need.

She forced away the guilt she felt reading the tale of a farmer with six children whose fields had been ravaged by drought to finish the rest of the pile. Searching for anything that looked interesting, Annie found a slender cream envelope sealed with red wax. When she opened it, the room was immediately filled with the scent of roses. Her hands shook as she began to read.

_My Dearest Princess,_

_ I pray that this letter finds both you and your unborn child in good health. During our conversation several weeks ago, I informed you that I might someday be in need of your services. That time has come. Have Margaret Connelly and General Lyme removed from the castle in three days' time. Both of them must never be allowed within a day's ride from the castle again. I do not care how you go about this task, but know that if you fail, the safety of your child is at stake._

_ Yours Sincerely,_

_ Coriolanus Snow_

Annie wanted to find the stables' fastest horse and hunt down Snow herself, to murder him in punishment for threatening her baby. Instead, she called for the maid. "Lucy, did you see who delivered this letter?" she asked.

"M'lady, I didn't give you that letter. I've never seen it before." Annie could read the confusion and concern on the servant's face.

"It was in the pile with the rest of them. You're certain you've never seen it before?"

The woman shook her head. "Yes. Each letter was delivered individually, so it couldn't have been stuck in the middle of a stack. I would've remembered a note like that. It smells horrible."

Annie looked back down at the letter thoughtfully. "Could you please find my husband and ask him to come back?" she asked. "Tell him it's of the utmost importance."

"Of course, m'lady. Should I send someone else so that I can stay with you?"

Annie shook her head. "Please hurry."

Lucy nearly ran out of the room. As soon as the serving maid was gone, Annie allowed herself to fall onto the bed. Tears streamed down her face, and her body was wracked with silent sobs.

After what felt like hours, a warm, gentle hand settled itself on her back. "Annie, what's wrong?" her husband asked. He pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

She rolled over from her side to her back to look up at him, quickly wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her dress before speaking. "I got a letter today," she said.

Finnick smiled. "Good. I was afraid –"

"Good? The letter was from Snow! He wants Mags and General Lyme removed from the palace!" Annie was shocked that Finnick could think of this letter as anything except terrible.

He must have seen the surprise on her face. "I was worried about the baby," he said. "When Lucy came running for me and told me to hurry back to the rooms, I was terrified that you'd miscarried or were going into labor too early." Finnick smiled, but the expression didn't ring true with the worry in his eyes. He set his hand on her stomach.

"He wants Mags and Lyme gone," she reminded him.

Finnick bit down on his lower lip. "Yes, I remember." He brought his eyes up to stare into hers as he spoke. "Without Mags and Lyme, the castle will be vulnerable to attack. Heavensbee seems capable, but Mags and Enobaria don't trust him. They think Snow placed him here to weaken our defenses."

"Why does he care about Lyme? There are plenty of other generals that could direct any defense the castle needed."

Finnick shook his head. "Lyme's brilliant. The others are barely more than capable. If Snow has some clever attack planned, she is the only one who'll be able to stop it."

"He wants to attack, then." Annie sat up, terrified.

"That certainly appears to be the case." Finnick appeared to be lost in thought.

Annie stood. "We can't just sit here and allow this to happen! We need to let Mags and the queen know what has happened. They can help us decide what to do." She grabbed a dress from her wardrobe and struggled to force it over her stomach. "Come on, Finnick, we must hurry."

"How did the letter come?" he asked. "Snow must have an ally in the castle to deliver it. Perhaps, we can find them and they will lead us to the man himself."

"We don't know. Somehow, it ended up in my correspondence pile, but Lucy never saw it arrive."

Finnick glanced around the room, looking for any way that a letter could be delivered without the servant noticing. He found nothing. "Shall we be off, then?" he asked, offering her his arm.

"Let's." Annie linked her arm through his and allowed him to lead her to the sorceress's chambers.

* * *

A rumble echoed through the air. Katniss could feel the ground shaking beneath her. "Johanna, can you feel that?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice calm.

"Of course I do, brainless! The hell is that, anyway?"

The earth began to buckle around them. "Groundquake," Katniss murmured as the realization dawned on her. "Run for the clearing! The trees might fall!"

She struggled to sprint to the clearing. The trees, huge pines that must be hundreds of years old, began to come crashing down around her. Suddenly, a particularly strong tremor knocked her to the ground. She didn't have any time to brace herself, and the force of the impact caused pain to sear through her body. Katniss knew that her chest and arms would be terribly bruised, and by the pain, she guessed that she might have broken a couple ribs as well.

"Katniss!" She heard Johanna scream. Her voice was murky, as though the other woman was shouting from miles away. Arms slipped under hers, hoisting her into a seated position. "Katniss, can you walk? We need to get out of here."

She wanted to reply, to tell Johanna that she was fine, but the world was spinning far too quickly for her to get any words out. Katniss heard a few quiet curses, and then she was sliding along the ground as someone pulled on her arms.

"Let me go! We're going to fall off!" If Johanna wasn't careful, she might slide along with Katniss. The ground seemed to be tipped precariously on its edge, and she was certain that she would soon slip off its face. The pair of arms did not listen. Instead, they continued to drag Katniss, finally depositing her on a cool patch of grass.

"It'll be all right, Katniss. We'll get you patched up," said Johanna.

Katniss reached up to pat her cheek, but the sight in front of her made her pause.

"What's wrong?" Johanna followed her gaze, and saw the giant hole in the ground that had formed. "Shit! What …"

An enormous blue shape emerged from the hole before spreading its wings and taking to the skies. Katniss knew that something was terribly wrong, but she did not realize how terrible the situation had become before she sank into unconsciousness.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Special thanks to HybridsRose, The Honey Crisp, and Odestalovebaby for reviewing. The next chapter should be up in the next few days – keep an eye out for it! As always, reviews are much appreciated. See you again soon,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	30. The Lick of Flames II

Johanna pressed a cool, damp rag to Katniss's forehead, hoping that her lover would soon come back to consciousness. "Come on, Katniss," she said soothingly. "It's time to wake up now."

The other woman finally began to stir. She blinked several times, raising her head before hissing in pain and allowing her entire body go slack. Katniss covered her eyes with her arm. "Where are we?" she asked, her voice groggy.

"Well, we were in the woods in the border regions," said Johanna, "but now we're in the formerly wooded areas in the border regions."

Katniss wrinkled her nose in confusion.

"Look around, brainless."

Johanna could see the play of emotions on Katniss's face as she surveyed the area. Sadness took over Katniss's features as she took in the hundreds of fallen trees. Her eyes widened in horror at the enormous pit in the ground that had opened only a few dozen yards from where she lay.

"What happened?" Katniss asked.

Johanna paused for a moment, trying to think of a gentle way to tell her what had happened. Right now, Katniss might not be able to handle her usual blunt words.

"Johanna, stop it. I don't need you to sugar-coat anything. Tell me what's happened. Why are the trees gone?"

"We found Trogdor. He's escaped." Johanna wanted to scream, cry, and bury her axe in one of the fallen trees, but when Katniss reached out and laid a gentle hand on her thigh, she stayed firmly rooted in place.

Katniss smiled. "Help me up?"

"Just because you weren't fast enough to dodge a falling tree does not mean that I'm going to have a complete change of heart." Katniss rolled her eyes at Johanna's words and held out her hand. Johanna took it and helped her stand, quickly brushing the dirt off her back as well. "You're going to ruin my image," she said teasingly.

"Don't worry, I'll enjoy every minute of it," laughed Katniss. She quickly sobered. "Johanna, where did Trogdor go?"

"Southeast," she answered. Only after the words had left her mouth did she realize their significance. "Oh no," she gasped.

Katniss turned to her, eyes wide with fear. "But the castle!"

"Yes." Johanna nodded. "We must hurry back."

Katniss started jogging the same direction that Trogdor had flown, and Johanna followed her. "Do you think we'll be able to buy horses in the last village?"

Johanna was grateful that Katniss had some semblance of a plan, because she could barely form logical thoughts. "I hope so."

"Come on then, we don't have any time to waste."

"You know, I'm kind of surprised that tree didn't knock some sense into you. Thought it might have given you some self-preservation instincts"

Katniss snorted. "Be quiet and follow me."

Johanna, for once, obeyed.

* * *

"An interesting problem." Queen Enobaria looked down into her wine glass, swirling the drink as she thought. "Open the castle to attack, or let your child die."

Her stepson and his wife stood hand in hand before her throne, small in the vast, largely empty room. She noticed that both of them were trembling slightly. Since Finnick's marriage, he had grown so weak. It disgusted her.

She put down her wineglass more forcefully than was necessary. "Honestly, I'm surprised that you even bothered to bring this to my attention. As the crown prince, you should realize that the safety of hundreds cannot be risked for a single life. I'm disappointed."

"We came to you hoping that together, we could find a solution," said Annie.

Enobaria stared at the woman, shocked by her outburst; Annie had always seemed so shy and demure during their earlier encounters. She raised her eyebrows and looked down at her daughter-in-law from her raised throne. Six months ago, even the thought of a former serving girl daring to challenge her authority would have been laughable. Now, it was happening in her own throne room.

Annie did not stand down. Instead, she glared back at Enobaria. "It was not an unreasonable thought," she said. "Obviously, a solution that saved every life would be ideal. We would be foolish not to bring this to you. As queen, you'll need every possible scrap of information to stop your former advisor."

Enobaria seethed at the other woman's lack of respect. She saw Finnick gently squeeze Annie's hand, a silent warning to stop before she went too far.

Annie seemed to take his warning. "But, as reasonable human beings, we do understand that a perfect plan is nearly impossible to form. In any situation, we will of course bow to your demands." She curtsied as she finished.

The queen turned to the room's only other occupant. "What do you think?" she asked.

Mags shook her head. "I don't know of anything that can be done," she admitted. The sorceress turned to Finnick and Annie, tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, to the both of you. I wish things could be different."

The emotion in the old woman's voice nearly brought Enobaria to tears, but she kept her face and voice carefully emotionless. "There's nothing we can do. We must alert the generals of the coming threat. Snow's letter demanded they be gone in three days, yes?"

Finnick nodded, but it was Annie who spoke. "Yes, but I'm not sure what he meant. It takes time for letters to arrive. We don't know when he expected that this would arrive, or where the end of the three days lies by his reasoning."

"The man was able to sneak a letter into your quarters without anyone's notice," said Mags. "He almost certainly knows exactly when it arrived."

"That's true." Finnick looked at Annie before continuing, "Why did he even bother to send this letter? It only seems to alert us to the threat of invasion, without ensuring that his orders would be followed."

"Selfishness, perhaps?" Enobaria offered. She leaned forward slightly in her chair, staring intensely at Finnick as she spoke. "He may have assumed that as both a new member of the family and a soon-to-be new mother, that Annie would be not only more likely to accept his words at face value, but also willing to protect her child at the expense of hundreds of lives. If it's a choice he would be willing to make, he may very well have assumed the same about us."

Finnick nodded in understanding. "What do you want to do?" he asked Annie, who had been lost in thought since Enobaria began to speak.

"Why don't we evacuate the whole castle?" she said, obviously still formulating her plan as she spoke.

The queen's response was immediate. "I will not abandon my palace and hand this man victory!" she snarled.

Annie gave her a long, cool glare. "Is your palace really the only thing allowing you control of this kingdom?" she asked. "You will still have an army, your ministers, and a large portion of your wealth. Nearly everything that allows you your power can travel with you. No matter what, Snow will attack. You can choose to limit your losses now, or you can let your pride rule you and hand him victory along with sacrificing my child. Please, do as you will, but should you stay, I will not allow you to pretend that anything but your own vanity has influenced your decision."

A part of Enobaria longed to call the guards and have them behead Annie in the courtyard. Another, more reasonable piece of her understood that everything the woman said was true. She could not tolerate such disrespect. The queen glanced over to Mags, hoping that the sorceress would chastise the princess. Instead, Mags was nodding back at her, agreeing with Annie.

As hard as Enobaria tried, she could not find the words to put Annie back in her place. Instead, she slumped back in her throne, defeated. "I'll have to speak with Cadoc, of course."

"Naturally," Annie agreed.

"I will see what can be done." Enobaria waved her hand, dismissing her small audience.

Finnick bowed and Annie curtsied before they left, still holding hands.

Mags stayed, waiting for the oak doors to close with a resounding _thud_ before she spoke. "It's a good plan," she said simply.

"Yes, I know. I will have to speak with Cadoc about it, though. He may disagree."

The old woman smiled. "You know very well that isn't true. He trusts your judgment, just as you should learn to trust Finnick and Annie's. They will take the throne soon, remember."

"How could I forget?" Enobaria let out a single, bitter laugh.

"You have served Panem well for many years. Now, it's Finnick's turn to do the same. He may not always choose the same course as you would, but you've done a good job of raising a fine young man. He will do what he believes is right."

Enobaria smiled at the sorceress. "Yes, he is a good man, isn't he?" She looked back to the door that Finnick and Annie had just exited through. "I'm worried for him," she admitted.

"As we all are," agreed Mags. She patted the queen's arm reassuringly. "Now, I believe I will start packing my potions. Wouldn't want to be unprepared in the case of a sudden evacuation." The woman winked and left.

Enobaria settled deeper into the plush cushions that covered her throne. She took a few minutes to collect her thoughts and compose herself before rising from the chair and walking to the door. She needed to have a discussion with Cadoc. Time was of the essence.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading! I'm so glad that thirty chapters in, people are still interested in Finnick, Annie, and company's journey J. Special thanks to HybridsRose, TheHoneyCrisp, bsmj, CusCus81, Odestalovebaby, bsmj, and Nola for reviewing. It's always lovely to hear what people think of my story. Thanks again!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	31. The Lick of Flames III

Annie stretched, enjoying the freedom of movement that her simple shift allowed. The dresses she wore in her role as princess were beautiful but restricting. She was glad that she could wear her old, loose-fitting servant's garb during the evacuation.

She looked over to Finnick, who was just beginning to wake up from his nap. Planning for both the general evacuation and the military response to any attack had kept her husband busy for the last two days. This short, two-hour nap was the only sleep he'd had since their meeting with the queen.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," she said, walking over to the bed to kiss his forehead.

Finnick held her against his body for a long moment. "Good morning indeed," he laughed as he finally let her go. His face grew confused. "Is it actually morning? Did I really sleep that long?"

"Yes, it really is morning, and you only slept for a little over two hours, so don't worry." Annie grabbed a simple shirt and pair of trousers out of her husband's wardrobe. "Come on, you need to get ready. We're expected to leave in about three hours."

Finnick groaned, but he hoisted himself out of bed and lumbered off into the washroom.

Annie braided her brown hair and secured it with a band of ribbon before wishing Finnick goodbye. She walked briskly through the halls to Mags's chambers. Seeing that the door was open, Annie let herself into the receiving room.

"Hello!" she called. "I thought I would check and see if you need any help." Though no one replied, she could hear the sound of bottles being clinked against each other from Mags's storage room. Annie walked into the room to find Prim and Mags busily sorting through the sorceress's enormous store of potions. "Can I help?" she asked.

Mags turned to her and smiled. "Annie, dear," she said, walking over to embrace Annie, "it's wonderful to see you. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm well, thank you. Would you like any help packing?" Though the rest of the castle had been ordered to bring nothing more than food and the clothes on their backs, Mags needed a cart to carry her potion ingredients and charmed amulets.

Mags glanced around the room, and her eyes widened as if she was seeing the mess for the first time. "That would be lovely, dear. Please, excuse the state of this place."

"I used to live here, you know. I'm not really a guest, and you don't need to apologize for any messes," Annie said as she carefully stepped around the piles of dusty vials. Even after her months of living with Mags, magic still made her uneasy.

Prim noticed her discomfort. "Annie, maybe you can pack some food for us?" she asked.

Annie smiled. "Still treating me as a serving maid, are we?"

"Sorry," Primrose squeaked, blushing a bright shade of crimson.

Annie immediately felt terrible. "Prim, I'm so sorry. I meant it as a joke. Princess is just a title; it did not change who I am." She hoped her friend would sense her sincerity.

Prim nodded, and Annie hoped she was forgiven. She looked over to Mags, and the old woman smiled at her, the light shining in her eyes telling Annie that all would be well.

"I'll be off to the kitchens," Annie said. Neither the sorceress nor her apprentice wished her goodbye, but the tense atmosphere in the room had been lifted.

* * *

"Be honest with me – are we prepared?" Finnick asked.

The general shook her head, and Finnick's heart dropped. "There are too many possibilities," Lyme said quietly. "We can't predict what Snow is planning, or even if he's planning anything at all. All we have is speculation and guesswork."

"Are you worried that he's seen what we're planning?"

"How could I not be?" she said, her voice just short of a yell. Lyme paused for a moment to calm down before continuing, "Annie had the right idea when she suggested evacuating the castle. At least this way Mags and I will be here and able to help now. That's the best we can do with this situation: stay together and plan for the eventualities we can think of. It's unlikely that we'll know exactly what to do as the situation unfolds, but we might have discussed something similar."

Finnick nodded, mulling over the general's words. "Thank you for your time this last week. You've helped immensely, and I feel that our troops are far better prepared than they could be under any other general."

Lyme thanked him and left to direct the last-minute preparations.

After his discussion with the general, Finnick felt even more worried about the upcoming evacuation. Perhaps, despite all their planning, they were still falling into Snow's schemes. Nightmare scenarios raced through his head. Maybe Snow wanted them to abandon the palace so that he could easily claim it, raiding it of any remaining wealth to fund his own peasant army to lead against Enobaria's forces. Or, perhaps the queen's former advisor wanted to gather them all in one undefended place to ambush them, killing a huge portion of the aristocracy in one attack.

Finnick pushed those thoughts from his mind. It would do him nothing to dwell on his doubts. The troops were well trained and the queen's top generals had crafted detailed plans for a variety of possible scenarios. Nothing could be done now to stop Snow; all they could do was wait.

He trudged into the stables, wanting to ensure Trident was ready for today's ride.

"Good to see you again, Finnick," said Haymitch as he walked through the gates. He set down the bucket of feed he had been carrying into one of the stalls to hold out his hand.

Finnick shook Haymitch's hand. He had always appreciated the way the stable master treated him, as though he was just another owner, not the crown prince. "How have you been, Haymitch?" he asked politely.

"Fine. And yourself?" Haymitch chuckled. "No need to ask you, I suppose. Katniss and Prim tell me all the time about Annie and the baby on the way. You caught yourself a good one, you did."

He smiled. "I am very fortunate. Is Trident ready?"

"He's all ready to go. Been a right little bastard the last few days about kicking the doors, though. Be careful with him." Haymitch handed a full bowl of sugar cubes to Finnick. "Here, give him a few of these. They should calm him down if he's giving you trouble."

"Thanks, Haymitch." Finnick walked to Trident's stall, popping a few of the sugar cubes into his mouth as he went. "How are you today?" he asked the horse.

Trident whinnied and kicked the back of his stall. Finnick held out a single sugar cube, and the black stallion stopped to lick it out of his hand.

"There we are," Finnick said as the horse worked its way through the rest of the cubes. "Are we ready to ride now?"

He took the silence as a yes. Finnick quickly strapped the saddle and reigns onto Trident and led the horse out of the stables. Once outside, he mounted the horse and rode it to the gates, where both troops and evacuees were beginning to congregate.

Finnick took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "Lower the gates," he ordered. "It's time for us to leave."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks to CusCus81 and HybridsRose for reviewing! I really do appreciate your feedback, and would love it if you could take a moment to review. Thanks again for reading!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


End file.
